


Promise me

by Mandriice



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bonding, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kid fic (very brief), M/M, Omega Louis, Possessive Behavior, Romance, Soulmates, Underage (kind of), lots of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-08 15:15:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 57,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10389639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandriice/pseuds/Mandriice
Summary: They were promised to one another when Harry was almost four years old and Louis decided he would be born on Christmas Eve. Anne grabbed young Harry and hurried to the hospital – that was their first meeting. The next meeting would only be 14 years later.A story about a promised love that has always existed and will last forever.





	1. Promised

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first work in the fandom and English is not my first language - so, if you see any mistakes, those are my own! Please, point them out to me and I'll fix them :) Thank you!  
> The few pics here are not my own. Besides that, it is technically underage, but not in the universe of the fic.
> 
> Comments are highly appreciated <3 Enjoy!

            They were promised to one another when Harry was almost four years old and Louis decided he would be born on Christmas Eve. Louis was born indeed, without a care in the world, screaming his little omega lungs out. Anne grabbed young Harry and hurried to the hospital – that was their first meeting. The next meeting would only be 14 years later.

-

            The whole ‘promising’ aspect of their society was an old concept, dated from when arranged marriages were secured to benefit kingdoms: usually, families who were close together and wanted to strengthen their bond would promise two infants – an alpha and an omega – and they would feel a pull towards each other forever. This pull would eventually turn into a bond and they would be mated – however, to prevent too-early bonds, strong and severe rules were established: the promised pair would only meet in person when the alpha was of legal age, or if the omega had his or her first heat before that. Alphas’ ruts were not valid criteria because they were seen as opportunity for the alpha to be experienced before meeting his or her promised.

            As times passed and ages became more technological, there was no stopping the promised couple to be in contact with each other, be it through letters, whispers to friends-of-friends, emails, texts or many other ways of communication – their strong connection would somehow bring them together. Their connection would help them get through the years they were forbidden to meet.

            Anne and Jay were high school friends who got so inseparable they decided their children would be promised, even if it meant having to keep them apart throughout their entire childhood and adolescence. She knew their future would be a bright and full-of-life one. That is why Anne was the first one who Jay called when her water broke on Christmas Eve, so she could grab her sleeping son and drive to the hospital, so Harry would be the first one to sniff baby Louis. Of course there was the possibility of baby Louis being born an alpha, and therefore, they would have to try again in another pregnancy or give it up altogether, because there would be no promise, no compatibility. But destiny had it they were successful that day.

-

            Three-year-old Harry got to hug newborn Louis when he was still sticky and disgusting, with only a quickly fastened blanket to him, and he held tight. Harry was solemnly quiet, having had no warnings beforehand whatsoever; he still understood the importance of that moment. Maybe he felt the charged air around him – his actions would most probably give away Louis’s gender, which, otherwise, could only be told a couple of years later. He hugged the screaming baby and just looked at his scrunched face until he stopped. Louis steadily lowered his screams until they became small whines, and only then, Harry fit his face on the baby’s little neck and snuffled deeply.

            At this gesture, everyone breathed relieved and smiled at each other. Jay and Anne had tears in their eyes, the beta doctor watching carefully from their side. Harry’s and Louis’s fathers were waiting outside, because alphas weren’t allowed in the labor room. The women watched amazed the scene before them: Once Harry raised his head a little, he kissed Louis’s forehead and the crinkle of his eyes, and calmly, his tiny lips. Only then he looked up, to the doctor, giving his consent. The beta man took the baby and handed him to Jay, so she could finally meet her firstborn. Anne cooed at him a little, but rules were that she had to take Harry away from them. They were promised.

-

            They exchanged gifts every birthday. Anne made sure Louis would always make something for Harry and then send it to him through Jay, while Harry didn’t need the push – when he saw the stores starting to decorate for Christmas he would automatically mention his baby boy. They didn’t meet in person again, but it was ingrained in them the knowledge of this _special person_ they would meet in the future.

            When Harry was five, one-year-old Louis hand painted something for him.

            When Louis was two, Harry sent him his favorite teddy, which smelled like him.

            When Harry was eight, Louis gave him his well-loved Woody doll.

            When Louis was six, Harry sent him his first letter. It read:

> _“Dear Louis,_
> 
> _Happy birthday. I love you very much._
> 
> _Yours, Harry.”_

(He meant every word).

            When Harry was twelve, Louis answered his letter. He was more joyful:

> _“Hi Harry,_
> 
> _I hope you have a great birthday. What is your fevorite gift? I hope you like the robit puppy I got you – I have 1 too, theyr funny. You shold come and play, because I miss you. You are always in my heart. I can’t weit to see you._
> 
> _I love you. Louis.”_

(His mom never read it, by his request).

            After that, the letters never stopped. Their moms never read them, giving the boys the needed privacy to get to know each other. Although Harry was four years older than Louis, he never looked down on his writing skills nor did he comment about the childish topics – quite the opposite, he was often delighted he got to be part of his baby boy’s life. Louis, at each letter, grew more attached and more in love with his special person, making a real effort to please and be engaging to his alpha. Their interactions were always innocent and full of curiosity, proving they had intimacy enough to ask absolutely anything and still time to spare with silly things such as what they had for lunch.

            When it was Louis’s eleventh birthday, teenager Harry called Jay for the first time – without his mother as a bridge – and asked, pleaded her, if she could film Louis’s reaction to his birthday gift. She agreed to a short clip, because Harry was almost fifteen (just a little bit more until his awaited 18) and he had only seen sparse and outdated pics of his promised.

            Jay didn’t say anything to Louis so his reaction would not be calculated, and hid her phone while filming the boy kneeling on the floor, with two boxes in front of him. Both boxes had a ‘From Harry’ note glued to them, and Louis was admiring the familiar handwriting and breathing deeply before opening any of them. He always got butterflies on his stomach every time he received something from Harry. His fingers were trembling a little bit.

“C’mon Louis, open them!” His younger sister pestered him.

“Shut it Lottie.”

“Louis.” Jay’s tone made him bow his head regretfully, but he soon turned his attention to the first box without apologizing. He opened them with far more care than he had demonstrated with his previous presents. When he opened the lid, he gasped and smiled open-mouthed.

“They’re Vans! Look how stylish!” He showed one to his mum and then to Lottie and Fizzy, who was only three, so she didn’t really care for his new shoes. “I love it so much,” He sighed, looking lovingly to the checked blue and white Slip-On.

“The other one now!” Lottie asked, and he glared at her a little. He was a tad bit possessive over matters concerning his promised. However, he complied.

            When Louis opened the second box though, he didn’t gasp nor smiled. He looked shaken, his eyes glimmering and his mouth open. In absolute silence, he took a green Adidas hoodie out of the box, but only after a closer look Jay understood his astonishment: the hoodie wasn’t new, but a well-loved piece of Harry’s own wardrobe. She didn’t comment, just kept filming.

            After a few seconds of quiet staring, Louis suddenly hugged the hoodie to his chest and face and seemed like he wanted to drown himself in the scent. His mom heard a suspiciously wet sniff, but before she could make out any tears, Louis quickly put the hoodie on. It was obviously too big on him, but he looked blissed out, surrounded by Harry’s scent. He hugged himself and buried his face inside the hood, closing his eyes in the process. Jay smiled.

“Do you like his scent, Louis?” She asked quietly. He only nodded, so she pressed. “What does it smell like?”

He breathed it in deep once before answering with a raspy voice. “Smells safe… And warm.” He paused for just a second, before looking at her in the eyes, “He smells like mate.”

            Jay nodded and stopped recording – she could only imagine how pleased Harry would be with that answer.


	2. Possessive Pronouns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your comments and kudos <3 I'll be updating this little thing about three times a week :) Hope you enjoy it!

            Harry was in class, on his 15th birthday, watching Louis’s video for the millionth time (now muted), just looking at his _everything_ , obsessing over every little detail he could see – his eyelashes, his cheekbones, his wrists, his blue eyes. He still had childish features, but Harry knew some of them would never leave, because of omegas disposition to being soft and delicate.

            He wondered what Louis would give him this year.

“Mr. Styles. Harry. Harry!” When he finally looked up, everyone was looking at him. His Sociology teacher had folded arms and a raised eyebrow. “Perhaps you’d like to share with us what had you so enraptured.” Harry frowned.

“Hm. No, I don’t think so, no.”

“But Mr. Styles, there must be something lacking in my life that you have right there in your phone, the way you wer-” Harry _growled_. The thing is, he knew Mr. Morris was only mocking him, trying to make light of his lack of attention – and he had absolute no intention of growling, since it was entirely disrespectful _and_ he had never done that, in his life. But it had happened anyway. His teacher stopped talking.

“I said _no_.” Harry snarled, keeping his stance. Niall elbowed him.

“Dude, chill.” The entire class was looking at him extremely shocked, because that was not how he’d normally react at all. He’d usually just laugh everything off. After a second of silence, Mr. Morris said carefully:

“Harry… Do you have a promised?”

Harry’s answer was another growl, which was confirmation enough. He tensed all over, like he was ready to jump to defend. His teacher sighed.

“Very well, Harry. No one’s threatening your promised, believe me. You can calm down in the gym, alright? Go there and sweat the high off. Don’t attack anyone. Go.” He used his alpha tone, which almost made Harry snap. He decided to obey, though – he wasn’t feeling normal, his skin crawling and blood boiling just at the mention of the words “threat” and “promised” in the same sentence.

            Harry got up and left, taking only his phone in a death grip with him. He didn’t look at anyone, but could hear the sudden voices and his teacher’s above all saying “What just happened is a learning opportunity. Promised couples are…”

            He didn’t stay to listen to the rest – he needed to _punch_ something. Harry had never felt so alpha-y before; the need to protect his promised from all eyes was almost overpowering his conscience. He ran to the gym, interrupted a class saying nothing and headed straight to the punching bags. The violence from his first blow made the coach realize something was up and not interrupt. He was left alone for the rest of the period and then some.

            The person who had him to finally stop was Niall, carrying his backpack. He hadn’t noticed he had been left alone.

“Harre. You’re bleeding, jackass. Stop that shit.” He didn’t. “They called ya mum, Harre. She’s here,” He growled again, but now in frustration. When he stopped beating the bag, his arms were trembling, his hands bleeding and his chest heaving. “You look like shit, mate.”

            With as much sarcasm as he could muster, he answered: “Thanks, Niall.” Niall offered his backpack – he grabbed it a bit too aggressively and winced. “Fuck, I’m fucked. How fucked am I?” Niall shrugged, dismissing his worry.

“So, you’re promised.” Harry immediately glared at him. Niall looked at him like he was an annoying rock in his shoe. “Drop that, jerk. I don’t want your person for me. I didn’t even know you had one – which, rude. Fuck you.” Harry sighed.

“I mean- Like, he is mine. Why do you or anybody else have to know? He is none of your business.”

“Wow Harry, thought we were friends.”

“We’re friends Niall, don’t be dense. But he’s my promised.”

“So, now I’ve been replaced in ya life!”

“His place was never available, blondie. Sorry. You’ve always been second, now you’re just aware of that. See? Sucks for everyone. He should’ve been kept a secret.”

“That’s fucked up, Harre. I just found out you have a promised someone, and I’ve to pay attention to your pronouns to find out he’s a boy, and then you tell me you wanted to keep keeping the secret. C’mon, you have to realize that’s not how friendship works.”

“That’s how promising works, Niall. I’m sorry, but Louis is mine and no one else’s.”

“Louis! Cute name. How old’s he?”

“Not telling.”

“You’re bleeding ‘cause of him, H. You’ve gotta tell me a bit more-”

“I don’t, actually, so I won’t. Forget his name, please.” Niall snickered.

“Yah, likely. I’ll just ask ya mum.” He ran in front, and only stopped in the principal’s office, knocking before Harry even reached him. Anne was the one to open the door, looking at Niall first, then Harry, then his bloodied knuckles.

“Christ, Harry. How far gone were you?” He just looked down, saying nothing but breathing hard. The pain was starting to make itself noticed. “I talked to Louis today,” that caught his attention fast. “He wanted to give your birthday present.” Harry opened his mouth to answer but then looked at Niall and changed his mind.

“Can we go, mum?” He said instead. “I’m sorry I acted out.”

“That alright, honey. It’d happen one time or another. Now that you’ve lashed out, you’ll have to make an extra effort to control the impulse to snarl, ok? We’ll work on it, promise.”

“Promised! Yeah. How crazy is that, right Anne?!” Niall decided to interrupt, as if he was best friends with Harry’s mother. “Louis s’an alright chap, is he?”

“Oh, he is the most adorable boy, Niall. He’s got the bluest eyes-”

“Mom! Let’s go, please,” Harry gritted his teeth. “I don’t wanna growl at Niall, stop talking about my boy’s eyes.”

“Don’t be a buzzkill, Harre! His eyes are the bluest, he’s a cutie-”

“Mother.”

“Ok, honey. I’m sorry. Let’s go then. Bye Niall darling, see you at the get-together this Saturday?”

“Oh yes, I’d never miss it. Now, neither’d the whole class.”

            Just to think about the speculation going on, Harry stifled a moan. He was suddenly very tired. Anne finally took pity on him and took him home, staying silent the entire car ride. Harry was dreading the conversation that would soon come, but Anne decided to give him a bit of a break.

“Son, do you want to know Louis’s present for you?” His head snapped up.

“Yes! Yes, please,” she giggled at him.

“He himself called me, which was very cute, and asked me to give you his email address.” Harry’s eyes glowed. “He also asked me to tell you he’d be getting a phone next year, when his mum ‘stops being so silly’, he said, so for now you could talk like that.”

“That’s amazing, fantastic and the best thing ever, mum!”

“Yeah, I figured you’d like, but it was so funny, the poor thing was really concerned it’d be a stupid present, because it wasn’t material, only his email, he thought it’d be lame compared to the hoodie you sent him. He let slip that he wears it everywhere, you know.” Harry started to jump in place, his smile large and dimply.

“Mum, mum! MUM! Can we FaceTime? Do you think we could Skype? Can I ask him? Is that against the rules?”

“Oh H… I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. Start with email, alright? Let things progress on their own. Until this very moment you've only communicated by letters. You’re fifteen Harry, but you can’t forget Louis is eleven. He is just a kid.”

“I know, mum. I know, I won’t make him uncomfortable, I swear. He’s mine, I know him, you know?” She chuckled.

“Yeah, alright. Here’s it.” She handed him a slip of paper with his boy’s email address. Harry couldn’t stop smiling. He was about to run upstairs to his laptop, when his mum got hold of his hand. He almost shouted. “Ok, you dumb alpha, let’s get it cleaned first. I’m just happy it was the punching bag and not Mr. Morris’s face.” Harry semblance turned dark for a small while.

“I’d have punched his nose in.” Anne looked in his eyes, and saw the truth there. “He was smart not to make me show Louis’s video…”

“So it was that the trigger. I should’ve known. Well, what’s done…” She cleaned and bandaged both his hands before he could _finally_ email his Louis.

-

            Louis was walking his bedroom in frenzy. He knew Harry would be home from school at 3, but it was now 4:30 and he hadn’t received any emails. He was second-guessing himself for the four hundredth time when his computer dinged.

            He nearly jumped. There it was! A new email by someone called _harry_styles_ with the subject “Hi there!” fresh in his entrees. He clicked on it instantly. 

> _Hi there!_
> 
> _Oh Louis, I’m so incredibly happy you gave me this present! It was the best. A better and faster way to talk to you! Thank you so much, darling. You’re very good to me._
> 
> _Anyway, I really hope you answer me. I’m here second-guessing every word… I mean. What an excuse for an alpha. I want you to like me? I already love you so much and I haven’t even seen you up close. Each birthday I have is happier than the last one, though, ‘cause I’m closer to finally meeting you. Only 3 more years, Lou!_
> 
> _Is it ok to call you Lou? I call you many different names in my head. Most of them include the word “my” before them – do you mind? I really hope you don’t, ‘cause I think of you as mine since I was 4 and could barely talk. Am I rambling? I feel like I am. I’m talking about being 4, for God’s sake. I’m 15 today!_
> 
> _To be fair, I am a little nervous._
> 
> _Ok, I’ll stop now. If I erase and rewrite this email again I’ll never send it, then you’ll misinterpret it. I’m sorry, this is a mess. I love you, my beautiful, beautiful promised._
> 
> __H. xx_

            Louis was crying by the end. In fact, he was crying by the “you’re very good to me”. How could he have gotten such a lovable alpha? The most perfect of all of them, and he was Louis’s. He felt like the luckiest boy in the world. He read the email thrice before hitting reply. He wrote a little less due to his trembling fingers. 

> _Hey Harry… I’m happy you are happy! You’re 15 today, happy birthday! I’m so glad we can write to each other like this. I know it’s faster, but I’ll miss your handwriting. I love how you write your H’s. Sorry, hope that’s not too creepy. Anyways. I just wanted to say that you’re the best alpha in the whole world and I’m very very lucky to have you. Please write to me every day? I will love that. How was your day? Did you get presents? A party? Hope you have lots of fun._
> 
> _I love you,_
> 
> _Your Lou. xx_

            Harry wrote Louis many times every day for the next 2 years.


	3. Nature Calling

When Harry was 16, he had his first rut. Although he and Louis talked about everything through email – and recently, text messages – he didn’t say. It was hell. The itch under his skin made him feel like his very soul was tingling, and he was absolutely confident he would only be truly satisfied if he had Louis. Since that was not possible for two entire years, he’d have to make do.

            That was how Harry lost his virginity; a willing beta friend called Nick spent two days and three nights with him, while Anne took care of preparing meals and making sure they were ok. Harry thought the whole thing to be slightly boring, but still interesting – the way he looked at it was him “gaining experience for the real deal” later. He, as an alpha, had many ways of hurting his partners without meaning to – so, his first rut was quite educative, in the sense of him learning how to pleasure and how to control his own urges. He took notice on how to touch, where to caress, what he himself enjoyed (both giving and receiving) and when to be soft or rough.

              He couldn’t wait to test his new knowledge with Louis.

            Throughout that time, Harry kept his phone close and answered Louis every time he wasn’t too busy – although his answers were short and sparse, he made sure to be sweet and to assure he was ok, just a bit preoccupied. He didn’t want to disappear on his boy and then have to lie about what he had been doing. So he kept a low profile.

            When the itch subsided, he thanked Nick for the help and sent him on his merry way after making arrangements for the next one – which would be about four months after the first one. Then, life resumed – Harry was studying a lot, since his GCSEs would happen soon enough, and he worked weekend shifts at a bakery, and 3 night shifts in a pub, waiting on people and cleaning up their messes.

            He worked way more than the usual teenager, but since he was one half of a promised couple, it was ingrained in his brain, since he was four years old, the need to protect and provide – Louis’s scent from when he was a teeny tiny baby changed and focused Harry’s very configuration. Harry’s step-father, Robin, made his best to advise him and show by example how to be a decent alpha to an omega (something his biological dad couldn’t have done), so he learned to be hardworking and determined with his goals. Harry’s wages were almost entirely put into a savings account – the little he spent, he used to buy Louis gifts.

            Louis, now in Secondary School, studied hard and long; he also studied Drama, played footie and learned Music after hours because he genuinely enjoyed all of it. He was growing out of his shyness and showing everyone how sassy and confident he could be. Harry noticed the little changes in Louis and recognized them as positive signs he was growing into the man he was going to be – and that man would be the most wonderful one.

            The day after his rut, longing for his baby boy more than normal, Harry sent Louis a quick text saying “are you busy now?” by 9 pm, for which he received a “nop, y ?” in reply. Instead of answering, he took a deep breath and pressed call. It was the first time they’d _talk_ to each other. Louis hadn’t even heard Harry’s voice before.

               A shaky and out-of-breath voice answered after three rings.

“H-Hello?”

“Hi Louis.”

“…” Harry could almost hear his promised widening his eyes. He chuckled, endeared.

“Hey baby. Talk to me please, I wanna hear your voice.” He spoke quietly and confidently – he was just really good at pretending confidence. It came with the alpha thing.

“…I- I was- I wasn’t expecting- You didn’t say anything-” Louis was feeling hypnotized (and seduced) by Harry’s slow and deep drawl.

“I’m sorry, Lou. Is this a bad time?”

“No! No, that’s- that’s not what I meant _at all_. I’m sorry! Harry! Hi!” He sounded strangled, and Harry realized he was probably chastising himself.

“Hi, love.” He said even more calmly, trying to send relaxing vibes to his promised. “How are you today? How was your day?”

“Are- Are we just? Just gonna jump into the everyday stuff? Harry, I’d never heard you before! Me mum never showed me a thing ‘bout you.” He took a shaky breath. “Sorry, I… I’m a bit- I think- Overwhelmed.”

“I’m overwhelmed too, love. I’m just pretending I’m not. I love your voice- It’s so different from the vid- I- I’ve seen your vid a billion times. But it’s a bit old now, innit? It’s from more than a year ago.”

“Is a good different tho?” His voice came so quiet and shy, Harry’s toes curled in fond.

“The best ever, Lou. You sound more grown. I want another video now…”

“Well, I’ve never had a video of you, so there’s that.” He was being cheeky, and Harry smiled big and dimply at that – It meant Louis was getting more comfortable. “The most recent pic I’ve seen of you is your Facebook one… and you ‘ave ya camera in front of your face.”

“Sorry,” He chuckled. “I don’t look very good in pics.”

“I know that’s not the truth, Haz.” Harry didn’t answer for a few seconds.

“You’re lovely.” Harry said smiling. Louis, deep red, could hear the smile on his almost-mate voice. And he smiled just as much.

“Thank you, you’re not bad yourself… for an alpha.” Then Harry couldn’t help laughing.

“Oh, really, you tiny omega?”

“Hey! Who said I’m tiny?!”

“You’re tiny, Louis. I haven’t seen you ever, but I _know_ you’re really small and cuddly and soft.”

“How very dare you!” He tried to sound indignant, but mostly failed, since he was trying not to laugh. “I’m tall!”

“You not tall, darling.”

“How can you be so sure, Harryyy?” He whined playfully. “You ‘ave to know omegas come in all sizes, alright.” Harry answered smiling.

“Babe, I’m not saying omegas are tiny. I’m only saying _mine_ is.” His voice turned a little bit more serious next. “I am absolute sure of that. You wanna know why Louie?” The boy hummed in agreement. “Because you’re mine, babe. You’re made for me, you’re my half. That means you’ll be tiny for me, ‘cause that’s how it’s supposed to be with us, with me and you.” Louis stayed quiet for a while.

“…Do you really think I’m cuddly?” He whispered. Harry nodded, before saying:

“Uhum, I think that, yeah.” Then he waited for Louis to continue, because he could feel the other boy building up his courage.

“Will you cuddle me, Harry? 2 years from now?” He asked, gentle and shy. Instead of screaming **yes!** like he wanted to, Harry made his voice softer than before, sensing his boy’s need for reassurance.

“Of course I will, Louie baby. My beautiful boy. I’ll cuddle you and hug you and spoon you- and- and kiss you and I’ll probably keep my face on your neck the entire time.” Both boys were flushed and smiling sweetly, their minds in their future. Louis sighed, but before he said anything, Harry kept on talking. “You probably fit under my arm right now, Lou. You’ll grow a bit more, but imagine if the legal age were 16 instead of 18. I’d have you under my arms right now…”

            Louis moaned quietly. Harry shivered. “Don’t- don’t say that. It’s already difficult enough without make-believe.” Harry let out a breath.

“Sorry.” He smiled. “I really like talking to you. Can I do it again?”

“Yes please.” He answered quicker than he meant to. Before Harry could laugh at him, Louis continued. “Why did you? I mean, not complaining, obviously, please do it again, but what happened today?”

“I- I don’t really know, love- I- I mean, I- I missed you _a lot_ today. Like a lot. And no matter how many texts I sent you, I felt my chest hurting from how much I missed you. I miss you, even though we haven’t met in person yet.”

“I miss you too, Haz. It’s like I’m- I’m… lacking.”

“Yeah babe. You’re lacking me, and I you. When we bond, we’ll feel complete for the first time.” Louis’s breath hitched on the word ‘bond’.

“You think so?”

“I know so.” Louis and Harry, both lying in their beds now, closed their eyes at the same time, imagining the same things.

            They stayed in silence for a long while. They could hear each other breathing, and their patterns eventually evened out. Harry noticed and smiled. But then, Louis yawned loudly and messed it up. Harry chuckled.

“You’re sleepy. You’re supposed to be in bed?”

“A bit. Not really… I don’t ‘ave a curfew, but just ‘cause I get real sleepy real quick, so never needed one.”

“That’s cute.”

“Am not cute.”

“You’re falling asleep on me, Louis. If you’re not cute, then you’re just plain rude.” Louis chuckled, reading the joke as it was meant to.

“I’d rather be rude, to be quite honest with you, alpha.” Harry gasped. Then closed his eyes tightly.

“Rude. Addressing me as alpha when there’s still two years for me to live without you in my arms.” Louis frowned a little bit – he didn’t understand Harry’s reaction.

“Why, Harry?” He asked in a small voice, embarrassed. Harry opened his eyes and focused on the ceiling. He was thinking about the fact that Louis was 12 years old.

“Instead of explaining, I’m going to show you, alright?” Louis hummed, hesitantly. Harry cleaned his throat before saying firmly: “I think you should go to bed now, _omega._ ”

            Louis shivered all over and almost dropped his phone from his ear. He gasped and mewled quietly, pliant. Harry smiled proud of the result.

“H- ‘arry, I- I feel tingling. It’s- I feel _yours_.” Harry growled possessively.

“You _are_ mine.” Louis mewled again. “It’s the calling, Louis. I called your nature, and you had called mine before. Let’s not do that anymore ok? It’s something for later.” Louis frowned, but didn’t say anything; he didn’t want to defy his alpha. Not in their first oral conversation, at least. So he just agreed. Harry smiled more easily. “Ok babe, I’m going to hang up now, ok?”

“What! No, why? Do you have to leave? Why?”

“I- I don’t have to leave, my gorgeous boy. But I wasn’t lying before – I do think you should go to bed. You’re sleepy. And I like the idea of me being the last person to talk to you every day before you sleep. It’s good practice for forever.” What he didn’t mention was the problem in his pants he wanted to take care of.

            Louis smiled so large his cheeks hurt. “I love you, Harry.”

“I love you too, Louis. Good night.”

“Good night.”


	4. Experience on Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter could be triggering - it contains an unwanted kiss.

            It was August, summer holiday, and Louis was hanging out with his friend Aiden. They were sitting down and talking in the park close to Louis’s house. The grass was green and warm, the sun was high in the sky and they were sharing some gummy worms – Harry was working more shifts on his vacation, Louis knew, so his phone was mostly silent.

“And then the girl was like ‘you’re an alpha, so you don’t understand’, and I said to her ‘how is that possible? I’m not stupid just ‘cuz am an alpha’ then she sniggered and said ‘yeah, not only because of that’ and I didn’t know what to answer and she laughed and left.” Louis chuckled.

“Sorry mate, but you handed it to her!”

“It was not on purpose! I _meant_ that I wasn’t stupid at all.”

“Well yea, obviously, but that’s the power of sarcasm for you. She doesn’t care what you meant.”

“Lou, I’m never gonna get kissed. No omega will ever want me.” He whined. Louis knew he was being dramatic on purpose to get Louis to compliment him, but those were his real fears. That’s why he didn’t roll his eyes – at least, not so hard. He decided to boost his friend’s confidence even if he was a bit of a prat.

“Don’t say that, Aiden. You’re a perfectly decent alpha. And you’re 13, no one’s pressuring you, chill. Any good omega can see that you’re a good match.”

“Any omega?” He sounded dejected.

“Yeah mate! Anyone with eyes can-”

“You, then.”

“-see th- Wh- What?”

“You can be my first kiss! And I can be yours! We’re mates, that’s what mates do.” Louis frowned at him, trying for tough, but his chest was tightening in sudden fear. Adrenaline made his breath come shorter and faster.

“Mates don’t kiss Aiden, don’t be daft.”

“They do when they’re helping each other out! C’mon Louis, it’s going to be good. We need the practice.” Louis slowly put the gummies on the floor beside him and started to lean outward from Aiden.

“I don’t need you to help me out.” Aiden frowned at that.

“Oh yeah? You’re just too good to need help, yah? You can get whatever alpha you want, can’t you? I bet you’ve kissed many – your stupid phone keeps buzzing all the time! You sure are very popular, omega.”

“Shut up, Aiden, don’t call me that.” The name in the wrong lips made him shake with repulsion – his entire body knew he was meant for someone else.

“I think you owe this to me. We’ve been mates forever, it’s unfair you’ve kissed before and I haven’t! We should do things in the same pace. Besides, I’m older than you, so that’s humiliating for me.”

“Aiden, listen, I haven’t kissed anyone – because I don’t _want to_. I’m not in a hurry, stop talking shit, you know that’s shit.”

“Don’t lie to me, Louis. You’re being ridiculous!” Louis decided that entire conversation was way off hand for someone in his stance, so he started to get up to leave. But before he could move away, Aiden grabbed his arm. Louis’s eyes widened.

“Let go! Let go of me this instant!”

“No, you stupid omega, just one kiss and I’ll stop!” He kneeled in front of Louis’s sitting form and leaned forward. Louis started squirming to be released, but then Aiden pinned his other hand to the ground. Louis tried hard to get up, but suddenly Aiden was way too close in his space – and he was so much stronger. Louis started to whine and his eyes were now threatening to spill. “Shut it, Lou, you’re offending me. Stop!”

            And before Louis could say anything, Aiden pushed forward and crashed their lips together. Louis pressed his own lips shut and squirmed, tears falling from his eyes into the “kiss”. The bigger boy tried to lick his way into Louis’s mouth, but Louis decided he would die before that happened – so he used all his strength to knee Aiden in the chest, making the boy gasp and loosen his hands. In a bout of adrenaline, Louis released himself and got up, causing Aiden to lose his balance and sit on the grass instead of kneel on it. Louis didn’t look behind nor did he say anything – he ran.

            He ran as fast as he could and didn’t even look where. He just really wanted to escape that horrible moment. His head was circling around the thoughts: He had been kissed. His first kiss was not Harry’s. Someone else stole that from them. Aiden stole his first kiss from him. Fucking Aiden, his fucking best friend. Stupid prick. He hated him so much. Would Harry be angry? Would Harry be sad? Disgusted another alpha touched his lips? – And with that, Louis cried harder and in a panic. His head was running fast and confused.

            Louis thought about not telling, but he just couldn’t bear the thought of omitting something from his promised. That felt too much like lying. And he knew he wouldn’t be able to pretend everything was ok, so Harry would ask anyway. Besides that, he really needed his almost-mate right this moment. He wished he could hug and bury himself in Harry’s arms now – he’d have to be satisfied with his voice.

            Louis hid himself in an alley between two buildings and grabbed his phone to dial his alpha. He didn’t think of trying to dry his tears or calm himself before.

-

            Harry was working his extra shifts at the bakery when his phone rang. He was in the kitchen about to start a recipe, so he excused himself to the back to grab his phone after making sure nothing would burn. When he saw the pic and name of his promised, his heart immediately tightened and started beating like crazy. Louis never called during the day – they texted during the day and called each other at night – this new development didn’t make Harry happy, but rather really worried. He answered the call before it could ring a third time.

“Louis? Did something happen?” And his heart broke when he heard Louis sniffling before answering.

“H-Harry…” His voice was raspy and low and sad and regretful and desperate, and Harry’s mind went straight into protector mode.

“Louis! Are you ok? Are you hurt? What do you need? Do you need me to call someone? Your mother? Fucking stupid rules, I want to go to you _now_. Baby, talk to me, please.”

“H-Harry, I’m so-sorry. Sorry. Will you hate me?” Harry frowned, feeling so completely useless.

“Baby, I could never hate you in a million years, no matter what. You could stab me in the neck and I’d die loving you.” Louis sniffed.

“I’d never do that,” He said quietly. Harry could hear him making himself smaller.

“Lou, love, are you alright? I’m so worried. Tell me, please.”

“I- I don’t-” He started to cry again, but powered on, speaking through tears and gasps for air.

            Harry encouraged him. “Start from the beginning, love. I’m here, I’ll listen.”

“You’ll be a-angry with me.”

“I could never be angry with my promised.” Louis paused, thinking about it that way. It built up his courage.

“I was… I was in the park, with Aiden. We were talking, then he said no one’d want him, and I said ‘a-any omega’d li-like you’ then- then he k-kissed me,” He was crying hard all over again. Harry frowned, jealousy flaring hot in his chest. He gritted his teeth, trying not to growl. “I-I said no, b-but he grabbed me, and- and he m-made me, Harry, I didn’t wanna, I promise, I’m so sorry. P-please promised, do-don’t hate me please!”

“Louis,” Harry said firmly. Louis quieted his whimpers a little bit. “I love you, I don’t hate you and I’m not angry, alright? I mean, I’m angry, yes, but not with you. Who is he? What’s his name? He’s got to be punished.”

“H-Harry, I- I don’t want you in trouble, don’t- don’t go after him-”

“Love, it happened to you and you have a promised, but it could’ve happened with any other omega. He’s got to learn that’s not how alphas behave. _You_ know that, right? You know I’d never force you to anything like that? That boy is just garbage.” Louis cleaned his face with the back of his arm, taking deep breaths.

“I know, Harry. I just- I-” He pouted and his voice came shaky and quiet. “I wanted to keep my first kiss to you… t-to our Official, an- and now I ruined it! I’m sorry!”

“Don’t apologize, Louis. I’ll have all your kisses forever, I’m not displeased with you, I swear.”

“Ar- Are you disgusted?”

“Louis!” Harry couldn’t help the snarl he let out (he was so _angry_ ), but regretted it as soon as Louis whimpered. “Baby, it’s _not possible_ for me to be disgusted by you. I love you more than anything, Louis. Listen to me. I don’t hate you, I am not disgusted and I am not angry with you. Do you understand? I love you. I love you forever.”

“H-Haz… I love you too.”

“Yes, I know that. I am sure of your love, babe. I know you didn’t want what happened.” Louis sighed, feeling soothed. Harry continued. “What makes what happened really worse. So, and I’m not asking, tell me his name.” Louis pressed his lips together, but Harry was having none of it. “Louis.”

            Louis whimpered. “Aiden Grimshaw.”

“Thank you, Louis. You’re a very good omega, the very best for me,” Harry closed his eyes and sighed. “Where are you now, Lou?”

“In an alley. Don’t really know. I ran.”

“You did very well in running. I’m proud of you. Now, I want you to dry your tears and get out there. Look around, do you recognize anything?”

“Ok…” Harry listened to him moving while sniffing. “I… I see Donny Bakery.” Harry froze. “I know where I am, Haz.” Harry was completely still, his skin pricking with goosebumps. He breathed through the desire to run out of the bakery and look for his promised to hug and comfort him. He spoke quietly and slowly so his voice wouldn’t break:

“Babe, I want you to turn towards your house and walk close to the buildings. Keep looking up and if you see Aiden, I want you to run again, alright? Are you walking?”

“Yes, I’ll pass by the bakery… And return in a different street, that’s better, yes? He saw the way I ran, I think.”

“Yes love, t-that’s better, yes.” Harry tiptoed to the front of the bakery, by-passing his co-workers and his boss without a glance. He hid himself behind the counter and kept his eyes in the front windows, looking attentively. “You’ve passed the bakery, Lou?”

“Almost. It smells good already…” Harry thought it was a good idea to keep him talking. He crouched and only his eyes and head could be seen from the other side of the counter.

“What pastries do you like the most, love? From a bakery, I mean.”

“I- I don’t know… I like muffins. Blueberry muffin, I’d say.”

“And tea?”

“Uhum… Yorkshire tea-” While he was saying that, Harry saw him. He saw him walk by the bakery looking wistfully to the people sitting inside. Harry had his eyes wide, staring; he grabbed the counter with the hand he didn’t have his phone and his knuckles turned white, but he didn’t notice. His eyes were glued on the boy and he completely ignored his co-workers and boss talking to him.

            His boy was the most beautiful person in the entire world – Harry was absolutely certain of that. He was wearing jeans shorts and a white tank top with a print he couldn’t read from there. His hair was fluffed in a fringe, and although his face was red and it was obvious he had been crying, his face was still a perfect mix of soft and sharp, with high cheekbones and long wet eyelashes and pink lips. Harry’s pounding heart skipped a bit when he looked at Louis’s lips. The thought that came fleeting in his head was _‘I’m going to kill Aiden Grimshaw’_. He tried to notice every aspect of his boy – his short but strong legs, his thin waist, his pronounced clavicle bones, his small ears. He checked how right he was when he appreciated how tiny Louis was – he would still fit under his arm even if he kept growing, and that made him smile. That was the closest he had been from his promised in 12 years.

            He was so in love and so fucking angry someone made him cry.

            Only when Louis had passed, he realized he wasn’t listening to a word his boy was saying to him.

“Harry? H-hello? Are- Are you busy? What time is- Oh my God, I forgot you’re at work! I’m bothering you! I can’t believe I called you when you’re working, oh no-” He got up from behind the counter slowly. His legs were a bit shaky.

“Louis, Louis, calm down. I’m here. I’m not busy, I got distracted by something amazing and didn’t listen to what you said, I’m sorry. But I’m here. Are you on your way?”

“Yeah…”

“Did you see Aiden?”

“No.”

“Good, that’s good.” When he turned to go back to the back room, Barbara was in front of him with hers arms folded. It looked like she had given up on talking and was waiting to be noticed.

“What distracted you? You sound different…”

“Don’t worry about it, babe. Just a second, Lou. My- my boss is telling me something.” He gave Barbara an apologetic face. The lady wasn’t glaring yet, but she was getting there. Harry thought the truth was his best option right now. “Someone upset my promised, Babs. I’m truly sorry.” He didn’t try to baffle his words, so Louis could listen to the interaction. Upon hearing his words, Barbara looked shaken.

“A- A promised? You have a promised?!”

“I do. And he’s upset. Can I have a few more minutes?”

“Sure darling, of course, you’re so private… Oh Harry, you’re promised!”

“I am, Barbara. Please, don’t mention it to anyone else, I don’t want my promised to be chit-chat subject. Mostly now that he’s upset.” The lady’s eyebrows went up in surprise because of this behavior, but she nodded. Harry nodded back in thanks. “Louis?”

“I’m here. I’m almost home, Haz, and I’m feeling better. Am not crying anymore. You can go back to work, I’m sorry I-”

“Louis, pay very close attention to what I’m saying.” He paused to make sure he had Louis’s attention. “Nothing, _nothing_ is more important to me than you. Got that?” Louis made an aborted sound. “So I will talk to you until you get home. I want you to tell me how you are faring. What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking ‘bout you, ‘course. I’m thinking about how I’m so much calmer now, my heart’s not hurting anymore.” His words were tumbling together, as if he was embarrassed to admit it. “I heard you talk to your boss… That also helped.”

“Why, baby? What did I say?”

“She said you’re private. She didn’t know ‘bout me. Aiden doesn’t know ‘bout you either, he said that I must ‘ave kissed many alphas ‘cuz me phone kept buzzing. He thought I was popular and that made him feel humiliated.”

“He’s a fucking bastard.”

“That he is. What I’m saying is, people who don’t matter don’t know about us. And I like that it’s for us only.” Harry smiled dimply.

“Love you, Lou.” They stayed in silence for a few seconds, listening to each other breathing. Then, Louis took a deep breath and cleaned his throat. He laughed at himself a little.

“I’m feeling a bit stupid too.”

“Why’s that?”

“‘Cause for a moment I truly thought you’d not want me anymore. But that’s silly, right? We’re not leaving each other.”

“It was silly yeah. We’re a forever kind of thing, Lou.”

“Yeah, I’ve just realized that.”

“That’s good, love.”

“I’m home now, Haz. And I’m not so sad anymore.”

“You’re still sad though?”

“I’m sad I lost the memory. You know? I was expecting to have a memory of my first kiss and it to be with you, and it would be the day I finally see you in person, and that’d be the best day of my life.”

“It’ll still be, love, even if I’m not the first. It’ll still be the best day of our lives.”

“…Yeah, I guess. I’m also sad I lost a good friend. But I’m not talking to that prick ever again.” Harry sighed, relieved he didn’t have to voice that request.

“That makes me very pleased indeed. Thanks for calling me, Lou. I want you to always do that, ok? Always. I’m _always_ here for you.”

“I know, Harry. I’m gonna shower now… feeling dirty.” Harry gritted his teeth again, but said nothing. He looked at his phone – the call was marking 21 minutes and 19 seconds. When Louis spoke again, he put it back in his ear. “Thanks for answering, H. I love you.”

“I love you too. I’ll check on you tonight, ok?”

“Alright. Bye…”

“Bye, love.”

-

         On the same day, as soon as Harry got home, he found Aiden’s Facebook page and did some investigating to find out where he could meet the boy. He asked some friends in common and finally got his answer – Liam, a co-worker from the pub, knew and had Aiden’s cell phone. After explaining what had happened, Liam was happy to help. So he called and set up a meeting with Aiden under a false pretense. He wouldn’t even show up, but Harry would very much be there.

            At 8 p.m., Harry was waiting leaning against the wall of a Tesco when he saw him walking towards the store. He waited to act because he wanted the surprise element to work in his favor. When Aiden was crossing in front of him, he jumped and grabbed him and dragged his screaming form to the alley.

            He shoved him to the wall, where he hit his back hard and lost his breath a bit – just enough to give Harry the advantage to pin him in. His forearm pressed forcefully against Aiden’s neck, the boy left gasping with eyes wide with panic.

            Harry spoke calmly and completely collected.

“My name’s Harry Styles, Aiden. It’s very nice to meet you. I am Louis Tomlinson’s promised.” He looked straight into his eyes. When Aiden understood what he had said, his mouth opened, jaw slack, eyes looking everywhere but at Harry’s. “Today, my promised called me _in tears_ , desperate, asking me not to be angry with him, but someone had kissed him against his will.”

            He pressed his arm more firmly against Aiden’s chest while his other hand grabbed his jaw to keep him looking at him. If his nails broke the skin and caused angry red marks on Aiden’s face that was none of his concern.

“Now Aiden, I had to calm my promised down and tell him I didn’t hate him. I had to reassure Louis I was not _disgusted_ by him – because he felt dirty and violated.” He lowered his voice and it gained a dangerous tone. “You, Aiden, made _My. Promised._ feel like shit. I am very serious right now when I say that I would like to see you fucking dead.” Aiden gasped, his eyes burning with unshed tears.

“P-Please, I-I’m sorry! I didn’t know- I didn’t know he was promised! I wouldn’t-”

“Him being promised sucks for you, of course, but Aiden. You’re an alpha, aren’t you? Don’t you know what that means?” He got even closer to the other one. “It means you’re a protector, you bastard, not a fucking rapist. You _want_ to be a piece of trash of a person? An excuse for an alpha? Fuck you.” He spit on his face, then pushed him against the wall roughly, so his head bumped hard against it. Where Harry’s nails had been now there was dripping blood.

            Harry looked at him with as much disgust as he could muster.

“Be a better alpha, Aiden. It’s no fucking surprise you don’t have an omega. And,” He got closer again, his fists closed tight. “If you as much as talk to Louis again, I _will_ end you.” He waited for Aiden’s panicked nod to turn to leave, but when he was starting to move away, he decided it wasn’t enough.

            Aiden was in the middle of a relieved sigh when Harry’s elbow landed hard on his cheekbone. He fell, screeching. Harry immediately felt better. He looked down and thought the blackish purple bruise on half of his face would look rather nice indeed.

            Then, he turned and left, Aiden still on the floor.

-

            On the first day of school, Louis saw the shadow of what had been an enormous bruise on Aiden’s face. He also noticed that the other boy didn’t even raise his eyes in his presence. Selfishly, that pleased him. He texted Harry a blue and a green heart.

            On that day, he also met Zayn – a transferred student to his Drama and Music classes. His old best friend wasn’t really being missed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on tumblr! If you'd like to follow me there, here you go: mandriice.tumblr.com :D Thank you so much for your kindness! x


	5. Sisters and Sisters-in-law

            It was a little bit before midnight on January 31st. He would be 17 the next day. He had already talked to Louis tonight, and he thought his baby boy would be sleeping since hours before, even if the next day was Sunday. Louis was 13, but he still dropped asleep anywhere just like he used to do when he was 4.

           When midnight struck, Louis not only texted him but he also said something completely unexpected that he had never said before:

 **_Promised (00:00)_ ** _Haz, can we skype?_

 **_Harry Styles (00:01)_ ** _YES!_

            It was only a few minutes later when Harry was nervously fixing his hair and deciding where he would sit; his tummy felt full of butterflies. He had already locked his door and had made himself comfortable sitting on his bed. He looked at Skype’s dark blue screen and adjusted his hair one more time (it was getting pretty long, so he had a scarf as a headband on) before hitting call. He had tried to psych himself that it wouldn’t be too different from his usual calls with his baby boy, but he had still to convince his pounding heart.

            While waiting for Louis to answer, Harry felt the butterflies triple and his skin prickle in a familiar way – his body was letting him know his rut was approaching. Maybe it was not the best time to Skype Louis for the first time, but, well, he would do it anyway. The worst that could happen is him being a bit more forward or sensuous, but he doubted Louis would mind. Besides, after the first one, Harry had had other two ruts (shared with Nick again and then with Kendall, his beta co-worker), so now he knew his way through his feelings and urges fairly well.

            Louis finally accepted the call.

-

         Louis was lying on his bed, terribly sleepy, longing for his promised for a cuddle, when he decided to make a bold move. The text asking to Skype was an impulsive one, since he was only awake to wait until midnight to text Harry ‘happy birthday!’ and _not_ to ask him to see each other in video for the first time when he was on his pajamas and had got bed hair.

          When Harry answered immediately, he knew he couldn’t chicken out. So he grabbed his laptop and turned it on, but went back to bed, so he could be comfortable. He couldn’t resist his warm blankets – that’s why he placed his laptop in front of his face on the bed and lay down to snuggle on his duvet. Before he could do more, his Skype account opened by itself after the computer finished turning on, and his profile appeared as ‘online’. Louis was reaching his hand for his hair when the call came through.

         The omega widened his eyes, feeling his heart pound and his stomach flutter. He laughed at himself, at how nervous he suddenly was, and quickly passed his fingers through his hair while listening to Skype’s calling tune. When he answered, it was like he had been stunned.

            Harry was smiling looking straight to him. It was intimidating to be the sole focus of his gorgeous alpha, so he blushed immediately. However, it was also a delicious position to be in, because he got to bask on his promised’s attention. Louis smiled.

“Hi Harry,” He said, quietly, his voice rough because he was sleepy and hadn’t used it for hours. “Happy birthday!”

“Hi Louis…” Harry let out a lovesick sigh. He looked so ridiculously fond, Louis chuckled a bit. His hair was way longer than Louis had last seen (on a Facebook pic), his jaw more pronounced and his shoulders were broader. However, as manly and mature as he looked, his dimples were still the cutest thing ever to appear on such a strong alpha. “It’s a bit dark in there… can you turn a light on? I wanna see your face, babe.”

            Louis nodded, feeling terribly shy. He moved towards his laptop, but only to reach his nightstand and turn on his table lamp. As soon as he lay back down again, Harry commented on something Louis hadn’t even realized.

“You’re hugging the teddy I gave you…” Louis looked down and there it was indeed – on his last birthday, when he had turned 13, Harry had sent him a rainbow teddy bear, but the amusing part was that his alpha had taped a bondage costume on it, including a mustache and judging eyebrows.

“Oh, yeah, I- I sleep with him every day.” Harry’s smile grew.

“Oh right, that’s not the best news ever or anything, whatever, don’t make it biggie.” Louis sniggered. “It’s not the cutest thing ever that my almost mate sleeps with a bear I customized to make him laugh.”

“I laughed, if that was your only concern. So. Yeah, you succeeded.”

“Winner of the year, me.” They chuckled together, quietly. Louis hid a yawn with the back of his hand and Harry scratched his eyebrow, his eyes glinting and following his boy’s every movement. “Why are you awake, Lou?”

“Wanted to tell you happy birthday,” he mumbled. “But the Skype thing was kind of a spurt-of-the-moment decision.”

“I’m very happy with your decision. Thanks! I’m seventeen now, isn’t that great?”

“Yeah, I’ve got your present right there.” He pointed off-screen. “Me mum will drop it off your house tomorrow, she said.”

“Thank you, babe. Do you wanna tell me what it is?” Louis shook his head. Harry pouted a bit. “You’ll make me wait! Even if it’s already my birthday and you just mentioned it! That’s mean.” Louis smirked.

“Never said I was good.” Harry stayed quiet for a while, his eyes a bit bigger than normal. Then, he let out a breath and copied Louis’s smirk.

“Oh, you. I never knew that. My omega is a cheeky little thing.”

“We’ve discussed the ‘little’ part, Harry.”

“Oh yeah, I distinctly remember you being all ‘I’m tall’ and I was like ‘you’re really not, honey’ and then it was settled.” Harry laughed at Louis’s face. “You’re my omega, darling, I told you.” Louis’s expression then turned into something that Harry could swear meant trouble. That shameless face he got when he knew he was going to push some boundaries.

“Y’know, I _am_ your promised of course, but… technically… properly, you see, I’m not your _omega_ yet.” Harry laughed out loud, throwing his head back and crinkling his eyes, so completely proud of his promised’s sassy and dirty mind. When Harry calmed down a little, he looked Louis in the eyes and smirked as seductively as he knew how. The effect was immediate: Louis dropped his smile and bit his lip.

“Oh baby.” Harry smiled smugly. “I will make you mine in every aspect of the word in no time at all.” Louis visibly shivered, which made Harry even more pleased. “You’ll be my mate, my omega, my everything. You will be mine to have and I’ll be yours and you’ll have total control over me, over my ruts and my body and mind- and my heart.” He paused and softened his smile. “But you already have that.”

            Louis, who had teary eyes, opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out of it. He tried to come up with a witty response, something clever or lewd, but his mind was so blissed out and his heart was pounding so hard, he ended up completely empty. Instead, he threw himself with his face down on his bed, hugging his teddy closer and tighter and hid his face on his pillow. He heard Harry’s delighted laugh through his laptop’s speakers, and desperately wished he could be there with him. But not for another year.

“Oh, Lou, I love you so very much.” Harry said, fond and amused. Louis sighed and peeked from under his hiding place.

“I love you too, Harry.” He whispered. Before they could say anything else, there was a knock on Harry’s side. He looked up, to the direction of his door. Louis could hear a woman’s voice, but didn’t make out the words. Harry answered:

“Sorry, didn’t mean to. I’m talking to Louis.”

“Oh! Louis! Can I see him?” Louis heard, because she was closer. Harry frowned, looked at him and then back at the person. He sighed and nodded. Suddenly, someone jumped beside Harry, making his bed wiggle a bit. It was Gemma, Louis knew; he recognized her from pictures and from many of Harry’s tales, a beautiful blonde girl who looked very much like Harry himself, but a bit more mature. She was on her pj’s and had a bun on her hair.

“Hello!” She said excitedly, and Harry introduced her.

“My older sister Gemma, Louis.”

“Hi Gemma, nice to meet you!” He smiled from where he was lying down. He didn’t even bother trying to fix his hair or posture, too mollified with sleep and Harry’s love. He was feeling comfortable and weirdly confident. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Oh sweetie, no more than I’ve heard about you. I’m happy to finally talk to you! You’re the cutest, in that Harry was right.” Louis flushed deep red, but managed to smile in thanks.

“I’m not even bothered, you _are_ the cutest omega, Louis.” Harry displayed a large and proud smile. Louis huffed and rolled his eyes a little, but he was also trying to hide a pleased smile.

“You know I disapprove of that word. I prefer ‘brilliant’ and ‘gorgeous’ or yet ‘attractive as fuck’; you have many options, H.” Gemma laughed and hugged Harry in Louis’s absence.

“Oh little brother,” She said, “You’ve got a great one, I’m jealous.” And with that, Harry’s good mood vanished. He frowned at his (alpha) sister.

“Yes, I know, thank you. Good night, Gemma. I’ll be quieter now, I swear. Bye.” He disentangled himself from her arms and started to push her out of his bed. She squealed.

“Hey!”

“Go away, Gems.” Harry knew that if Louis had been born a few years earlier, he would now belong to Gemma instead of him, and that thought made his skin crawl. He was aware that their moms wanted to promise their kids; only Fate brought them both together – but with Fate on their side, Harry could breathe easier.

“Ok, ok, wow, calm down.” She looked at Louis, who was worrying his lower lip looking at the scene. “Bye-bye cutie, see you when Harry stops being a jerk!” She waved. Louis waved back.

“See you, Gemma, nice to meet you!” And then she was gone. He could hear Harry’s door closing behind her. Louis huffed. “That wasn’t necessary, Harry. She’s your sister, c’mon; don’t be jealous.”

“Sister or no sister, my promised is mine.”

“She never said I wasn’t.” Harry shrugged, then yawned, making Louis yawn as well. They chuckled together.

“Time to go to bed, Lou babe.”

“Yeah, I guess.” He reached and turned off his table lamp, while Harry reached to the switch next to his bed to turn off his own light. They were both illuminated only by their laptops. “Next year we’ll be together.” Louis whispered in the dark. Harry smiled; Louis could see his glimmering eyes in the shadows.

“We will. Only one more year, love. Then I’ll hug you to sleep.” When he said it, his arms felt terribly empty: his body missing his omega.

“Can’t wait, Haz. Good night.” Louis closed his eyes, but made no movement to turn off his Skype or laptop. Harry whispered ‘good night, Louis’ but continued looking to the scene, getting comfortable himself, putting his laptop in a safer position. He watched as Louis’s breathing evened out and his hold on the teddy loosened.

            After a few minutes, Harry fell asleep. Their laptops ran out of battery in the middle of the night, but neither noticed.

-

            Louis’s gift for Harry was a silver necklace with two different pendants – a cross, for Harry was a very spiritual person whose wonder fell to every aspect of life, and a butterfly, and for that one, Louis explained that it represented the feeling Harry caused him, because his stomach would go crazy with butterflies every time he thought about or talked with him.

            Harry read the note explaining Louis’s thinking after each pendant and almost cried. He put on the necklace immediately and wore it proudly above his shirt.

-

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:37)_ ** _I can’t really talk today, H_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:37)_ ** _Sorry_

 **_Haz (18:38)_ ** _Why not babe?_

 **_Haz (18:39)_ ** _Something happened?_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:41)_ ** _No, I have to babysit_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:41)_ ** _Mom and Mark are on a date_

 **_Haz (18:42)_ ** _Are u ok?_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:44)_ ** _Yeah, just a bit busy_

 **_Haz (18:45)_ ** _Can I watch?_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:49)_ ** _Watch wut ?_

 **_Haz (18:49)_ ** _You, love_

 **_Haz (18:50)_ ** _On skype, I mean, you could put your pc on the table, and let me participate_

 **_Haz (18:52)_ ** _Sorry, didn’t mean to intrude_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (18:53)_ ** _I’m bringing my laptop down now_

            Louis opened his laptop and turned it on while going down the stairs. He listened to the sound of Skype turning on at the same time one of the twins started to cry. He frowned. When he put his computer down, before he could see what the fuss was about, Harry was calling. He answered distractedly but didn’t say anything, because then, Lottie came running from the backyard being chased by a screaming Daisy.

“I didn’t do anything! It was _not_ my fault!” Lottie said and Louis frown deepened.

“You know, if your opening statement is ‘it’s not my fault’, that only makes me feel like it’s your fault a little bit.”

“Unfair!” Lot screeched. Daisy threw herself at Louis’s legs, grabbing his pants asking to be held. He crouched in front of her instead, and she immediately tackled his neck and kept on screaming, but now, way too close to his ears. He started to shush her, tapping her back soothingly.

“Daisy, what did mean Lottie do to you?” His voice and hug were slowly calming her down.

“Lo-uie! I didn’t! She fell alone.”

“She fell?!” He disentangled himself from his sister to look at her. She had tears all over her face, which he started to wipe with his hands. “Does it hurt, Daisy? Where is it hurting? Can you tell?” She shook her face no. “It doesn’t hurt, baby?” She pouted, shaking her head yes. Louis was confused. “You’re scared because you fell, right? It was just a fright, baby girl. You’re ok.” He looked straight into her blue eyes. “Ok?” She took a deep breath, and then nodded. “That’s my beautiful sis!”

            Louis kissed her forehead, which made her lean on him and rest her head on his shoulder, suddenly tired from all the crying. He scooped her on his arms and got up. “Time for a nap.” He looked firmly at Lottie. “You’ll tell me everything later. Go grab Phoebe, please.” Lottie huffed.

“You’re not mum.” But even as she said it, she was already obeying him. Only after he started rocking Daisy on his arms, Harry made himself known. Louis almost jumped out of his skin.

“You’re amazing, Lou.”

“Oh my God!” He shouted-whispered. “Don’t _do_ that.” Harry chuckled.

“You answered the call, not my fault you forgot ‘bout me.”

“Sorry, love. Bit hectic- Fizzy, no!” He stopped his 6-year-old sister from trying to carry his 2-year-old other sister and run at the same time. “If you drop her, Fiz, she’s going to get hurt. Is that what you want?”

“I’m not dropping her!”

“Put her down, Fizzy. Phoebe, it’s nap time.” The little girl was already yawning, waddling to him now that Fizzy had put her down. She hugged his legs and laid her head on his knees. “Come, baby.” He gave her his hand and took the twins upstairs, not even glancing at Harry, apparently having forgotten all about him again.

            While Louis was tucking in the twins, Harry was noticed by Fizzy, to whom he said hello, but she ran away with wide eyes. He chuckled again. Soon, Lottie came tugged by her younger sister and both looked at Harry curiously. He said hello again – and Fizzy hid herself behind Lottie.

“Hi,” The older one answered. “Are you Harry?”

“Yes, I’m your brother’s promised.” She smiled at him, then “whispered” (Harry heard her without a hitch) to Fizzy.

“It’s ok Fiz, he’s family. He’s brother’s.” That made the other girl build up her courage to look at him. She waved shyly at him, which he promptly responded.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you two, ladies.” They chuckled together, kind of hugging each other, like they had a secret from him. He smiled fondly at their obvious intimacy. “You’re Lottie and Fizzy, right?”

“It’s Charlotte and Félicité, actually, Harry, but I guess you can call us that. If you want.”

“I do, if I may.” He said trying for courteous, which made the girls giggle. “What will you do tonight?”

“We’ll do many things!” Lottie was excited to say, sitting on the floor, in front of Louis’s laptop. “I’ll do Fizzy’s hair and nails, then she’ll do mine. Then we’ll do the twins…”

“Help…” Fizzy whispered, from behind her sister.

“Help with what, Fizzy?”

“Louis, with dinner.”

“Yeah, that too. But it’s not fun, helping is no fun.”

“Well, if you don’t help, Louis will be sad – and if Lou is sad, then so am I. Do you want me to be sad?” Lottie widened and she shook her head. Fizzy used the moment to snitch on Lottie a bit.

“She never helps.”

“I do too!”

“But you complain.”

“You complain!” She was getting winded, so Harry decided to intervene.

“I mean- If you end up helping, then it’s ok.” He shrugged. It was clear which sister was an alpha and which was omega. He smiled at them. “What do you like to have for dinner?”

“I like spaghetti,” Fizzy answered first, already feeling less shy. “Louis’s is better than mom’s!” Harry was proud to hear her praising his promised.

“And I like PB&J’s, but Louis did that for us when we came from school already, guess he won’t again.”

            Harry answered enthusiastically and they kept a lovely conversation going, in which they interrogated each other about many things. He was laughing when Louis appeared again.

“Hey, you menace, quit pestering me promised! Lottie, you’ve got explaining to do.” He sounded firm, but then dropped in between the girls in front of his laptop as well. Fizzy immediately tucked herself against him. Lottie pouted.

“It wasn’t my fault, Lou, I swear.”

“Ok love, I’m not gonna tell on you. I just wanna know.” She looked at Harry guiltily, then looked down and mumbled her answer.

“We were on the trampoline… And I jumped extra hard. And she fell. It wasn’t me, she was too close!” Louis huffed.

“It’s ok, Lots. But you gotta work on your apologizing. If you had comforted her, then she wouldn’t have cried, simple as that.” The blondie scrunched her face, but nodded anyway. Louis smiled at her.

“You’re all very adorable.” Louis rolled his eyes at him – he didn’t like to be called cute, adorable or lovely. But that was what Harry insisted on calling him, so he had to deal with.

“Let’s make dinner, shall we?!” He kissed his sisters on the cheek and got up, grabbing the laptop to take to the kitchen. “We’re having meat sauce spaghetti, because that’s the only meal I know how to cook.”

“I know that’s not true, darling. The girls were complimenting you on your cooking.”

“Oh, were they? I’ll remember that next time I hear one ‘it needs more salt, Louie’ or ‘it looks yucky, Louie’, those hassles.” Harry chuckled at Louis’s almost perfect impression of his sisters.

            The entire cooking experience was very amusing to Harry but very draining for Louis, who had to pay attention to one promised, two sisters and two pots at the same time. He put Lottie to unload and put away the clean dishes from the dishwasher, and Fizzy to set the table. Harry was part of their conversation the entire time, even going to his kitchen himself to prepare a sandwich. After the meal was ready, the girls helped themselves and they ate on the table, together, like a weirdly young family without grown-ups.

            Harry had a lot of fun interacting with Louis and his family, and decided that he was going to love to have them as his future in-laws. Louis let the girls do their nails and hair only after they had reloaded the dishwasher together – he just separated Daisy’s and Phoebe’s portions. Not too long after, the twins woke up from their nap and came down the stairs holding hands and asking for food. Louis fed both at the same time aiming for minimum mess and was only somewhat successful. Harry watched the whole thing with his head turned to the side in fondness the entire time.

            It was way after 9 p.m. when everything that needed to be done was done – that’s when Louis exhaled deeply and smiled tiredly at Harry. His eyes were dropping but happy.

“Now we watch a movie until the twins fall asleep again, I put everyone to bed and can finally take a shower.” Harry cheered him on, just to make Louis chuckle. “I love you Haz.”

“Love Haz!” Phoebe said, making them both laugh.

“That’s it, princess, Harry is your family too. Soon you’ll meet him.”

“Meet Harry now?”

“I wish, baby. Soon, alright?” She pouted, but before anything more dramatic could happen, Louis changed tactics. “How about Mulan? Let’s see Mulan today?”

“Mulan!” Both girls screamed, running to the living room. Fizzy and Lottie were smart enough to put away their make-up and polish before the younger ones decided they also wanted to play. So everyone was content to put Mulan on and huddle together to see it.

            Harry asked Louis to put the laptop in the coffee table so he could watch them instead of the movie. As soon as the opening song started and Louis sat on the couch, it was a contest to see which sister would get to sit next or on top of him. He was attacked, but was laughing the entire time. As they settled, Louis had both twins at each side of him, Fizzy on his lap with her head resting on his shoulder and Lottie on the floor, her cheek on Louis’s thigh. None of the girls noticed when Harry gestured his phone nor when Louis picked his up.

 **_Haz (21:17)_ ** _I’m honestly impressed, Lou_

 **_Haz (21:17)_ ** _You’re very popular with them_

            Harry was watching Louis’s reaction when his text came through. The boy smiled lovingly, looking down to the girls. He watched his sisters for a second (who were finally calm and quiet) before answering.

 **_Louis Tomlinson (21:18)_ ** _wish you were here_

            Now was Louis’s turn to see Harry react. He saw his promised’s eyebrows go up and a beautiful smile bloom. His dimples were very much there. He answered.

 **_Haz (21:18)_ ** _been wishing I was there since you answered my call_

 **_Haz (21:19)_ ** _wish I could be part of your daily life like that_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (21:21)_ ** _you are, H. just not in person_

 **_Louis Tomlinson (21:21)_ ** _soon we’ll fix that_

            Harry smiled at him from Skype and nodded, but didn’t answer. They watched (Harry listened to the movie but watched their reactions, happy to be quietly involved) maybe 35 minutes from the movie before the twins were out again. Fizzy was more asleep than awake, but Lottie wanted to pretend she wasn’t dropping. Louis made the girls say goodbye to Harry, and, in 15 minutes, everyone was in bed and peacefully sleeping.

            Louis took his laptop to the bathroom with him.

“Sorry you wasted your evening,” he started, fixing his toothbrush. Harry interrupted with a frown.

“I didn’t waste anything, silly. I loved spending time with you and your family. They’re all lovely girls.”

“That they are.” He mumbled, mouth full of foam. Harry looked at him as if he had hung up the moon.

“Oh Lou, I can’t wait until we live together. So we can have these moments?” It sounded as a suggestion; Louis looked at him, asking silently for an explanation. Harry sighed. “I’d brush my teeth by your side, or take a shower while you do it. Then I’d hug you from behind and be a huge nuisance and make your brushing super hard.” Louis sniggered, and then cleaned his mouth.

“I wouldn’t mind.” He said honestly.

“I know.” Harry replied, also truthfully. They smiled at each other and then sighed together.

“Okay H, I’ll shower now, and no, you can’t stay in the bathroom with me while I’m _naked_.”

“I’ll see you naked plenty,” He replied immediately, huffing. “Don’t know why not start now!” Louis laughed at him, slightly red in the face.

“All in good time.”

“Good times indeed.” Harry smirked. Louis chuckled, embarrassed. He was mostly embarrassed by how much he _loved_ that kind of comment – that slightly promiscuous Harry who just couldn’t wait for what bonding would bring. It made Louis eager to the new and exciting experiences he’d have in the future.

“Good night, H. I’ll text you when I’m in bed.”

“Please do,” Harry nodded. “Love you, baby.” Louis sent him a kiss and disconnected the call. He had some businesses to do on the shower.


	6. Rules on Fate

            Harry was waiting tables on the pub and Liam was serving drinks behind the counter on that evening. Niall was sitting by the bar, talking loudly and laughing with his friends, even if they had to leave more often than not to do their jobs. Niall could entertain himself pretty easily.

            That was proven correctly when he started to talk to the bloke who was eating fries on the table behind him and soon enough he was sitting with him. He found out his name was Zayn, he was 16 and a student. Niall didn’t bat an eyelash to his pint on the table, after all, he was holding one himself.

            After some talking, Niall found out the name of the school he went to and it took him a while to place where he had heard the name before. He screeched when he remembered something Harry had let slip.

“Zayn!” He squealed. “Do you know Louis? Louis Tomlinson?” The black-haired boy looked at him suspiciously, but nodded. Niall laughed out loud.

“We study Drama together – why?”

“Oh, this be good!” He looked around. “Harre! H! Harre, come here, I need ya!” He screamed in the pub, not embarrassed about a thing. Harry rolled his eyes at him, but went anyway. He knew Niall would just keep screaming until he decided to show up.

“Oy Niall, don’t cause a scene, c’mon.” Niall sniggered.

“Mate, you’re in for something. Zayn here, look at his precious face.” He pointed to said face. Harry was not very impressed. “Zayn here _studies_ , goes to school with, share his days with, sees in a very regular basis – your very own Louis Tomlinson! Ha!” Harry’s eyes, from profoundly unimpressed with Niall’s antics, went wide immediately.

            Zayn was frowning. “Not that regularly. But so what? What is it with you and Tommo?” Harry kept quiet, but his face couldn’t settle in one expression – he was excited, ready to ask a million questions; irritated, questioning why the hell they were talking about his promised; jealous, since Zayn did see his promised almost every day; worried he could be breaking a rule… and many other small things he couldn’t name but were making his heart heavy. Niall answered for him.

“Louis’s his promised.”

“Louis is promised?!” Zayn’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “That bastard, never told me.” Harry frowned, but before he could snarl, Zayn saw his face. “Oops, sorry, not a bastard. Very secretive, though.”

“They are! I’ve known Harry here since kindergarten and he told me when we were 15. And that wasn’t even his choice.” Zayn whistled lowly. Niall nodded solemnly, as if he agreed with the sentiment.

“Yeah well, you say that but don’t respect it, do ya?” Harry finally said. “Why you’re talking ‘bout us anyway?”

“I just connected dots, H, don’t be mad.” He smirked. “Zayn will tell Louis later you got mad at him.” That only made Harry frown deeper. Zayn smiled smugly, noticing his place of advantage in the group.

“I’ll tell you something about Louis he himself wouldn’t have noticed.” Harry looked at him suspiciously.

“In exchange for what?”

“I want your co-worker’s number.” He pointed to Liam. Harry smiled, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe this boy’s audacity.

“Sure,” He shrugged. “But I’m not putting a good word for you – you gotta convince him you’re not a kid. He’s legal… and you’re really not.”

“Neither is your promised, and look at you.”

“It’s legal if you’re promised, dumbass. It’s part of the rules.” He defended his relationship quickly, annoyed. Zayn only sniggered.

“Ooh, your important rules. You can’t meet at all; or what? What if I ask Louis to meet me here and never show up? What if you bump into each other on the street? What then? You disappoint your parents by fucking too early?” Harry looks at him with as much superiority as he can.

“You’re a fucking brat. Liam’s better off without you.” He turned to leave, and Zayn widened his eyes.

“No!” He exclaimed, then huffed, vexed. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I just genuinely don’t understand _why_! Why do you keep apart? Why obey it?” Harry sighed, looking around and finding he had a job to do.

“Look mate, I’ll have a break in 45 minutes. Can you keep your questions ‘till there? I’ll answer them.” Zayn nodded. After that, Harry went to the next table, acting politely.

            After the established time, Harry came back to a table of sloshed guys. He didn’t know if he was annoyed or just amused by their stupidity – neither of them was of legal age, and yet, there they were. Harry sat on the table with a pint of his own.

“Do you still got questions, mate?” He mocked a bit. Zayn looked at him with a solemn face.

“I’ve got them, yeah. Niall has too.” Harry nodded a bit wary of what he had promised in exchange for silly information. Zayn went straight to the point: “Why don’t you just _disobey_ it?!” He put a lot more emphasis in his words than it was necessary. “You’re two horny teenagers who love each other!” Harry sighed, taking a gulp of his beer.

“Alright. Listen. Niall, I’m not repeating this ever again, if you want to know. Ask today, ‘cuz I’m feeling generous. Zayn, you’ve got to give me at least three things Louis does without realizing he does them, ok?” The youngest of them nodded, and then smirked.

“Hell, I’ll give you a video of him singing.” Harry smiled excitedly.

“You, my friend, have yourself a deal.” He looked down, to his beer. “Ok, the first thing non-promised people need to understand is – there a fucking pull, a really strong pull, between us. Louis and I don’t just love each other, we need- we- we’re half of ourselves without the other.” Niall looked a bit uneasy, as if he was trying to picture what Harry was saying and had difficulties.

“He’s more important to me than my family, my friends, jobs, school or anything else. I’d kill my mother for him.” He looked dead serious while saying it, which made the others shuffle uncomfortably in their seats. That was a lot to take in while fairly drunk. Harry continued, unbothered.

“But there are the rules. It’s something biological – I sniffed him when I was three, before his mom had even touched him, and that changed both of us. We have the pull, yes, but we also have a- a sense of _gravity_ , I don’t know- I don’t know how to put it, but it’s a heavy _thing_ in me that- that would make me hide myself if I saw him in the pub, Zayn. It settles us.”

            Harry picked at an indentation on the table, focused on his words instead of the others. “That’s the thing then. We’re not just horny teenagers wanting to bone each other – fuckin’ hell, I talked to Louis by letter until I was fifteen. We emailed for a year before we called each other. It’s- it’s the _promising_. We have a promise.”

            He sighed and looked at Niall. Both of them were completely focused on his words.

“The promise settles us. And it pulls us together at the same time. Of course we want to see each other, of course I’d like to see Louis before February, but I’m also not too worried about it.” He looked at Zayn. “Do you get it? Fate will bring us together – or apart. I’m not willing to defy fate, neither is my promised. We have a promise, no need to hush things or delay them. Things will happen.”

            He took another gulp from his cup, looking contemplative. Then he nodded to himself, confirming the truth of his words according to his constant feelings and sensations towards Louis.

“Any other question?” He looked at his watch. “I’ve got more 10 minutes.” They looked at each other feeling a bit shocked. Niall, of course, was the one who was faster to regain his abrasive personality.

“Why can you bone each other and it’s legal? Why don’t you go to jail?” Harry scoffed at him.

“Really, Niall?”

“What? I wanna know! You said ‘ask’!”

            Harry sighed once again – he felt like he did that a lot in the last hour. “It just is, man.” He looked to the ceiling, thinking. “I- I think, if you really look into it- back in our history, when they discovered the promise… They could just live together from childhood. But that was not working for society- omegas were dying on labor, because they got pregnant too young. So, they decided to separate the couple until they’d be ready.” He drank for his cup to give him time to think about what he was saying.

“Then, the promising changed along with society to include the settle. You know, to keep them from escaping to find each other. It’s evolution working.” He blinked at them, his slow words locking them right into the story. Harry himself was a bit irked by their attention. He kept speaking.

“Which is true until today. I mean- Omegas have heats, and that could change everything, because that’d mean their body can’t wait anymore. If not, the alpha has to be legal, because we suppose they can support and provide for their mate if they are 18. At least in theory.” he chuckled. “I can only speak for myself, but I feel a deep responsibility to be able to give Louis a good life – even if I’m perfectly conscious that Lou will work and provide for himself in the future.” He shrugged, unbothered by it. “He’ll do what he sees fit.”

“But about sex?” Niall pressured, impatient with Harry’s drawl. The alpha frowned.

“I was getting there, _Niall_.” He mocked. “About sex… well, it’s up to the couple really. I won’t turn 18 and suddenly rape Louis just ‘cuz he’s my promised. We’re not animals- Like- I can wait until he’s got a heat, or until he feels ready, ‘cuz I don’t want to force him into anything. But if other couples feel like it’s time, then it is. No promised half would hurt the other one on purpose. Everyone knows that. The authorities know that – that is why is legal, I guess.”

            He cleaned his throat, getting a slight flush to his cheeks. “Besides, no one would be able to stop a promised couple from having sex when they want to after their entire life being kept apart.”

            After he stopped talking and looked around, the others looked immersed in his words, thoughtful.

“Cheers, Harry.” Niall said appreciatively, understanding this would never happen again. Zayn nodded. Harry frowned, amused, then shrugged.

“I want a video from my promised, that’s why I said it.” He looked at Zayn. “Besides, what I told you is on Wikipedia, so.” He grabbed his phone and opened his contact list, poking Zayn. The boy shook his head as if to wake himself and pulled his own phone – Harry gave him Liam’s number and his own email, and supervised as Zayn attached a video and sent him.

“Thanks, mate.”

“Also,” Zayn said. “Louis bites his cheek when he’s nervous, but it never stops him from doing what he wants – before a play or a match, he bites his cheek but does the thing anyways. No one even knows he gets nervous.”

            Harry listened attentively, as if he was storing that information under ‘extremely important’ in his brain. Zayn smiled and continued. “He does the best pranks on everyone, but never hurts or offends; he can sassy even the principal (he’s done it before)… _And_ , every time he sees a kid, he does this face-” He put his tongue out and crossed his eyes to demonstrate, making the other boys smile. “To make them laugh.”

            Harry stayed silent for a few seconds, nursing his beer. He looked at his watch, then at Zayn. “Thanks.” He nodded and got up, turning to go back to work. Before going, he added: “Please Zayn, don’t tell Louis where I work.” The boy nodded immediately, having understood the importance of the rules for them. “Tell Louis-” he hesitated, and then seemed to make a decision. “No, it’s nothing. I’ll tell him myself.”

“Oh, and Harry,” Zayn added before he could leave. “Louis’s video is from rehearsal. The play will be next Friday, on the auditorium, at 7 p.m. It will be crowded and dark.” He winked.

            Smiling, Harry nodded in thanks. Then he went back to work.

-

“So, Louis.” Zayn said, after the last rehearsal ended, a few days later. The play would be on the next day and he was confident, although slightly nervous. “I met your promised.”

            Louis dropped his backpack (and his jaw).

“What?!” His eyes were wide and he stopped moving altogether, frozen in place.

“I met your promised,” Zayn repeated, a smug grin on his pretty face. “And we talked a lot. I know where he works-” Louis immediately put his hands on top of his ears.

“Don’t tell me!” He screeched, a bit desperate. He was ripping himself with the need to know and seek Harry immediately and the sense to preserve his promise. “Don’t just throw that at me, you jerk. Me promise is none of your business.”

“I noticed, you small prat. Never even imagined you were promised.”

“Harry just told you?” He mumbled, a bit hurt at the thought. He lowered his hands slowly, as if afraid Zayn could just scream Harry’s exact location to him.

“Of course not, he’s just as bad as you. His friend spilt the beans – Niall. Harry got angry.” Zayn grabbed his backpack from the floor and handed it to him, smiling kindly. Louis took it, still a bit suspicious. “I’m just mentioning ‘cuz I thought you’d like to hear some of my impressions on him.”

“I don’t know, Z… The rules-”

“He actually explained them to me, so I won’t mock. But, you know, I’ll tell you innocent things. I swear.” He poked Louis’s thin waist. “You’ll like it.”

            Louis sighed, feeling conflicted. But then decided that he could stop Zayn any time he felt it’d go against the promise. He bit his lower lip, but nodded anyway.

“He was angry, at first. He’s a bit scary. His friend and I are both betas, so I think we were bolder than an omega or alpha would be, but only later I thought we could have done something stupid.” Louis tsked, shaking his head. He knew Harry wouldn’t be violent with his friends, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be violent at all, given the right (or wrong?) impulse.

“We pestered him until he agreed to explain why you had to obey the rules. And, even though he was a bit annoyed, he was very kind when it came down to it. He answered calmly and was actually quite gracious about it. He said that he loved you more than anything on Earth.”

            Louis smiled at that – he could relate to the feeling. Besides, it was different to hear about Harry from anyone. Louis wasn’t used to outside information. “He told us he’d never force you into anything. Because, hm- Niall- he asked about sex.” Louis’s face got immediately deep red.

“Oh my God, Zayn! You talked about sex with me promised, fuck you!” Louis pushed him. The older boy chuckled.

“He was very responsible, L. Told us he’d wait ‘till you’re ready.” He shrugged. “I thought this was something you’d like to know. Don’t know if you’d have the guts to ask or talk about, but now you know. He’s very much there for you no matter what.” Still flushing, Louis answered a bit angrily.

“Do you think I don’t know that? I _know_ my promised, you tosser. He’d never hurt me or pressure me. We don’t have to talk to know those things.” Zayn looked at him a bit spooked.

“… Guess that’s handy.”

“Yeah well, avoids all that awkward stuff.”

“Bit weird though.” He mocked. Louis huffed, but ended up chucking.

“Shut up, you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of an explanatory/expository chapter. Next one will be more.. steamy.  
> Thank you a bunch :)


	7. Come to Me, Come for Me

            Harry begged his mom to let him use her car, and arranged a change in his shift so he could be free from the pub. After the _fantastic_ video he had received from Zayn, he just couldn’t miss the actual play. He sneaked into Louis’s school auditorium after the lights had already gone out. He sat in the back, silently apologizing for his disruption. The play, he knew from Louis’s previous gushing about it, was Grease. Louis would sing and dance and act and he had the main role – he was excited for his promised, but had never considered the possibility of him actually watching it. He was over the moon about it.

            He watched every movement of his boy on the stage exhaling pride at every line, verse or action. He was incredible and the absolute best, at least in Harry’s biased opinion. He managed to grit his teeth just a little bit in the romantic scenes, but those were over quickly. When the spectacle ended and the actors were taking a bow, Harry took advantage of the standing ovation to sneak out.

            His next stop was to buy the prettiest roses bouquet he was able to find at 9 p.m. on a Friday and drop it, along with a letter, at Louis’s house. He left it by the front door – since the entire family was at the school – and was careful that it wouldn’t go unnoticed or ruined by anything. Then, he went home.

-

            Louis teared up from happiness when he found the bouquet and the letter. Harry had written:

> _Baby,_
> 
> _I watched you today, from the back. You were amazing – I’m so very proud of my omega! You have the voice of an angel and so much talent, my love. My favorite part was the shimming! Keep it up and you’ll be famous one day (I’m already your number one fan)._
> 
> _Love you forever,_
> 
> __H. xx_

            Louis couldn’t believe his alpha had been so close from him today – that thought sent chills all over his body. He didn’t know if he’d have had Harry’s self-control if their positions were switched. The idea that Harry was close enough to be proud of him even if they had to wait almost a year to see each other in person was comforting. Louis sent him a thankful text and went to bed happy.

-

**_Promised (22:47)_ ** _Haz ? You ok ?_

**_Harry Styles (22:49)_ ** _bit busy, lou_

**_Harry Styles (22:50)_ ** _thinkin bout u_

**_Promised (22:50)_ ** _What ur doing ? missed you today_

**_Harry Styles (22:51)_ ** _miss you all the time, baby_

**_Harry Styles (22:52)_ ** _wish u were here now_

**_Harry Styles (22:52)_ ** _now, louis_

**_Promised (22:53)_ ** _Wish I was with u too, h_

**_Harry Styles (22:55)_ ** _I want your pretty self with me, for me to touch, to feel and kiss_

**_Harry Styles (22:55)_ ** _would love to kiss you all over_

**_Promised (22:56)_ ** _Harry…_

( **Promised** calling…)

“Uh, Lou, not a v-very good time now,” Harry’s voice was raspy, shaky, but his hand down his length didn’t stop even when Louis spoke.

“H-Harry,” He whined, feeling bothered. Louis was red, but he _wanted_ his promised. His pants were suddenly tight; he could hear the slap of skin on Harry’s side of the call. “Promised.” Harry growled in his ear, which almost made him fall to his knees.

            Harry’s room was stuffy, dark and closed, smelling too strongly like himself. He was jerking off to the thought of Louis’s scent mixed to his, to their bodies intertwined and their skins hot together. His promised’s voice made him decide to tell him exactly that.

“I want you here, Louis. My- Mine- You here, your skin with mine. I’ll kiss and suck and bite you everywhere. I’ll make you squirm under me.” Louis’s breathing hitched and he unzipped his jeans to these words. “I’ll make you smell like me and I’ll mark you as _mine_ -” Louis moaned on his ear, which made his hand go faster and tighter. “Louis.” He growled. His promised mewled.

“A-Alpha, t-take care of me,” His voice was shaking, his hand cupping his erection through his boxers, his fingertips shaking. “P-Please, Harry!”

            Harry moaned loudly, pleased with his boy’s call, shivering all over. “Touch yourself, love. Lock your door, take off your clothes and- and think of me.”

“’M always thinking ‘bout you, Haz.”

“What do you think about, baby? Do you think ‘bout me touching you? Sucking you? Taking care of you? ‘Cuz I’ll do all that, baby, just for you.” Louis moaned softly, finally pulling himself. He lay on his bed, phone pressed on his ear. He kicked his jeans and boxers off him.

“I- I want you, Haz-”

“I’ll give it all, love. I’ll give you everything. Touch yourself for me, how you like it.” He slowed his own hand so he could pay more attention to Louis. His boy was breathing deliciously loud. “You like it, baby? Tell me how much you like it, my pretty omega-”

“I- I wish,” He gasped after a flick of his wrist. “I wish it was you.”

“Oh yeah, baby, I’ll touch you, touch you until you scream my name and forget yours. I wish I was there too, love, but- pr- pretend it’s me. Pretend my hand is around you- I want you so bad, Louis,” He could hear his promised’s hand working fast and hard pulling himself, skin slapping. Louis moaned quietly, breathlessly.

“P-Please, Haz, I- I wanna come,” Harry growled, speeding up his own hand.

“L-Louis, I- I want you to lick your finger.” He demanded, and noticed Louis obeyed immediately, eager. “Feel- feel yourself, baby, feel your entrance with your finger. Just press, don’t push-”

“Ahh H-Harry, I, I need you, alpha, please-” They moaned together.

“Oh my perfect mate, you’ll feel so tight around my cock- I-” Louis was clenching around the feel of the tip of his finger, feeling so, so empty. Harry’s cock was all he could think about.

“Fill me, alpha- I _want_ \- uhh,” His hand speeded up, desperate to reach relief, his finger circling his hungry hole, phone pressed hard between his ear and shoulder. Harry was not far behind – he let out a deep moan that got Louis shivering, skin full of goosebumps, arching on bed. He planted his feet on his sheets and squeezed his own cock, imagining Harry’s hot skin on his – on top of him, around him, inside him. Everywhere; he wanted Harry everywhere.

            Louis let out a high-pitched moan that had Harry following suit. “That’s it, love, doing so good- You’re so good to me, omega. You doing _so_ well, love.”

“Please, p-please-”

“You sound delicious, ready for me- Louis- I’ll fill you with my cock, give it to you nice and strong. Lock you under me, love, you’ll only see me, feel and smell me; I’ll be all you’ll ever know, omega.” Louis groans, arching, pressing on his hole, jerking himself fast, the call making him more desperate.

“Uhh- Ha-Harry, can I? Can I c-come? I need-” His desperate murmurs were almost being choked, the sound of his skin clear on Harry’s mind. He was so close. Him asking for permission pleased Harry enormously.

“Now- Now, baby, come for me.” And Louis did just that. His high groan on Harry’s ear was all he needed to push himself over the edge, moaning his promised’s name and jerking his cock through the intense waves of his orgasm.

            They stayed silent for a while, listening to the other’s breath slowly evening out.

            Harry spoke first. “My love… Are you embarrassed? Did I make you uncomfortable?” He asked, hesitantly, voice quiet.

“No, Harry.” Louis was quick to reassure him. “You didn’t.”

“Are you ok? Are we?”

“More than ok, love.” He sighed, feeling mollified on bed. “That was _really_ good.” Harry smiled.

“Agreed on that, baby.” He felt a wave of love so strong for his promised he wanted to cover him in kisses. “I would really love to cuddle you now.” He had to content himself with words, since actions were not yet possible.

“I’m… sticky, though.” Harry chuckled.

“As if I’d care ‘bout that, Lou. I’d make you stickier! I have come all over my chest.” Louis’s eyes widened with that mental image. Harry noticed how his breath got heavier and smiled smugly. “I can’t go again yet, baby. Give me a few minutes, please.”

            He chuckled at Louis’s indignant huff. “Shut it, you.”

“I’ll shut it, alright. I’ll put my mouth to good use later, when I’ve finally got you for me.”

“Harryyyy!” Louis whined, “Don’t just _say_ that!” Harry laughed at his boy.

“Why not, baby? That’s only the truth.”

“Stop, H.” He giggled, then covered his mouth with his hand to try to cover it. Harry saw right through him, but didn’t comment.

“I’ll clean myself now.” He chose to say instead. “Think I had never come that hard before…”

“Me neither,” Louis whispered, flushed. They both got up to clean their messes. “Think because it was you…”

“Oh yeah, no doubt. If we can make each other come this hard over the phone, imagine later.” He sounded amazed, dreamy. Louis chuckled at him.

“I’m afraid you’ll bone me in front of the officiant, H.”

“I won’t, babe, I promise. I’ll wait ‘till we’re alone.” He teased. Louis knew he was joking and he knew Harry would control himself for as much time as Louis needed. But, being quite honest with himself, he didn’t think he would need much time at all. If any.

“Do you think my heat will be triggered by your presence?” He asked distractedly, while he wiped his tummy. Harry hummed.

“It has happened before, Lou. It’s quite possible, I’d say.”

“Hmm…”

“Or maybe it won’t happen for another two years. I was 16 when I had my first rut, although I didn’t have you, but your heat could take just as long. But having me with you may speed things up, I think.”

“I hope,” He whispered. “I don’t wanna wait two years after we’ve met.” Harry smiled lovingly.

“We don’t have to wait for a heat, love.”

“I know, but-” He flushed a bit, and lowered his voice even more, reluctant to admit his fears. “I heard it hurts less if the omega’s in heat.” Harry frowned.

“Oh.” He said, a bit worried he hadn’t thought that pain on his first time could be a concern of his promised. “I- I can’t promise it won’t hurt a bit. But I can promise to be the most careful and loving alpha in the entire world for you, Lou.”

“I know, Haz. I do.” Louis put a fresh pair of pajamas and lay on his bed, feeling relaxed. Harry did the same, but only after stripping his bed and changing the sheets.

“Lou,” He called. His boy hummed at him. “Maybe we could travel together?”

“You asking? The answer is yes, always yes for you.” Harry smiled, lying on his bed on only his boxers.

“I’m asking yeah. Only you and me, after the official. We’ll be legal then, and I’ll be responsible for you, I could take you anywhere in the world.”

“That sounds nice, Hazza…” He said already sleepy. “Maybe we could go to a beach? Somewhere hot?”

“Where would you like to go, baby?” Harry asked, speaking quietly so he wouldn’t disrupt Louis’s mood. Louis hummed again, his eyes closing. He smiled softly.

“Cancun. Miami. French Riviera. Brazil. Greece. Don’t know. Anywhere.”

“I will give you the world, Louis.”

“You already did, Harry.” He mumbled. “Good night, promised.”

“Good night, my love.”

-

            As soon as Louis fell asleep, Harry grabbed his laptop and started his research. He was looking up different tours he thought Louis might enjoy, the average weather temperature in February, hotel prices, car rentals and ticket taxes. Besides, the fact that it was now April and he was planning a trip 10 months ahead made the prices a bit more accessible.

            He made two different trip plans, containing beaches and tours, hot weather and privacy. He’d show them to his mom and stepdad, so they could approve his idea (not that their disapproval would stop them from going, but it’s always nice to let them think they had a say into his decisions), then he would call Jay to tell her of his plans, and only then he’d ask Louis which one he preferred. He was excited.

            In the end, it was decided they would make a lovely trip to Cancun, Mexico: it was hot in February, it was absolutely gorgeous, it was private and far away from their families, and it was within budget. Harry was excited – and determined, which meant he started to work more shifts to save more money. He couldn’t wait for his future.

            Both Louis and Harry, unbeknown, had a countdown calendar on their rooms – Harry’s glued to the window, Louis’s on his desk. Every day, they crossed another number, smiling to the prospect of February 1st.


	8. A Butterfly for a Smile

            Two months later, Harry felt another rut approaching. He decided this one would be a bit different because he wanted to share it with an omega. So, he approached a redhead called Ed, who he had met one Saturday morning at the bakery and kept seeing every Saturday. He said, very casually, on one of those mornings:

“Ed, listen. I’m close to my rut. Would you help me through it? I’ll buy you brekkie after.” To which Ed shrugged.

“Sure, mate. I really need to unwind anyway. Give my boss the call?” He nodded and it was settled.

            In a society in which alphas had ruts and omegas had heats every four to six months (and betas were asked to help out all the time), they developed a call system – the alpha or omega had to go see a doctor the first two times the rut/heat happened, so a pattern could be set. From this pattern, they had the right to leave work and/or school based on their next cycle; they also had the right to extend this privilege to a partner, since they’d also miss a few days of work. Setting the call a few days prior was enough to prevent any troubles in their workplace.

            Harry’s rut happened every four months; he had faced an entire year and four months without Louis already (he shared two ruts with Nick and other two with Kendall, both betas) and now he was going to test the experience with an omega, the gender he was most attracted to.

            He called Ed when he felt the itch under his skin and gave him his address. He sent Louis a text telling him he was a bit busy, and he was lucky enough that Louis had an essay to write that night, so he wouldn’t feel too bad about being left alone for a while.

            When Ed arrived, they didn’t waste time chit-chatting, but they were friendly, laughing and talking to each other in the calmer periods. It was pleasant – more pleasant than it had been with betas, so Harry was able to enjoy more than analyze every second of it. Ed was clingy and he definitely liked to bite, but it was fun anyway.

            It lasted three and a half days and Harry was a bit embarrassed to admit how distracted he had gotten. Louis’s texts were left unanswered for hours before he said ‘sorry love, busy’ only to proceed to do the same thing again. After paying the breakfast he had promised Ed, Harry was eager to speak to Louis in length again. He had the rest of the day off, which he intended to spend talking to his boy. He missed him.

**_Harry Styles (12:20)_ ** _Hi ya love! ‘Morning_

**_Promised (12:21)_ ** _not morning anymore_

**_Harry Styles (12:21)_ ** _oops_

**_Harry Styles (12:22)_ ** _how r you, baby boy?_

**_Harry Styles (12:23)_ ** _Lou?_

**_Promised (12:25)_ ** _a bit busy_

**_Harry Styles (12:25)_ ** _oh.. ok, sorry_

**_Harry Styles (12:26)_ ** _crap, realized that was what I said to u_

**_Harry Styles (12:27)_ ** _are you too cross with me?_

**_Harry Styles (12:28)_ ** _don’t be angry with me, my beautiful mate_

**_Promised (12:31)_ ** _not mate yet_

**_Harry Styles (12:31)_ ** _Louiiisss_

**_Harry Styles (12:32)_ ** _are you home? Wanted to see you_

**_Promised (12:33)_ ** _I’m at school, harry. Be home at 3_

**_Harry Styles (12:33)_ ** _I’ll be waiting, love you xx_

-

            When Louis got home, he sat in front of his desk and turned on his laptop. He didn’t have even two minutes to prepare himself before Harry’s call was coming through. He breathed deeply and looked up to convince his eyes to stay dry; only after that he answered.

            Harry was shirtless, which was extremely unfair in itself – It was distracting for Louis – while Louis was wearing his school’s uniform. Harry didn’t even think about the fact he had no shirt on, because it was normal for him. After his rut stopped itching he would always be left feeling too hot for clothes, more so because they were in the middle of June.

“Hey Louis!” He greeted, excited and happy to see his promised after almost 4 days. He missed him a lot and was now looking at every detail he could notice in Louis’s image. It took him a few seconds to realize Louis was sad.

“Hi, H.” Louis said, raspy and low. He tried to smile, but it was a weak attempt at best. Harry frowned.

“What happened, baby? What’s gotten you so down?” Harry was expecting to find an angry Louis, who would scream at him a bit and feel better – a sad promised was way worse. Louis looked up again, willing his eyes dry. He was feeling rejected, left out and ignored by his own promised.

            There was no worse feeling than rejection from a person who was biologically programmed to love you no matter what. Although Louis rationally knew Harry still loved him, to be ignored for so long had hurt him – and had given room to malicious thoughts to take over his insecure mind.

“I- I’m alright, Haz.” He whispered, trying for nonchalant and succeeding only in sounding miserable. Harry’s eyes were completely focused on him, looking for answers on his face. When he couldn’t find anything, he was firm.

“Don’t lie to me, Louis.” With that, Louis frowned too. He finally looked at Harry, and as soon as he paid attention, he saw love bites. Love bites scattered all over Harry’s chest and neck – ones only a small mark, others angry purple hickeys. That made his eyes fill up, and no looking up could prevent his tears from falling down his face.

            Harry looked frightened by that. “Lou! Lou baby, why are you crying, love?” Harry felt useless and terrified. “Tell me what you’re feeling, please.”

            Louis put his knees up so he could hide his face on them and sob. He hugged his own legs and ignored Harry’s words for some time. He felt unwanted, unloved, rejected and lonely. He knew he wouldn’t be feeling that if it was any other person – but Harry had complete power over him.

“Louis, Louis, please- Don’t ignore me-”

“Ignore you!” Louis screeched, from his hiding place. “Me, ignore you? How could I?”

“Love…”

“You- you’re such a jerk.” He was trembling, wanting nothing more than to be comforted, to be told those were not love bites, that Harry was still his.

“Lou, I don’t get it! I’m sorry, ok? I’m sorry I was a bit distracted these last few days, I-”

“You what, Harry?” Louis then looked at him in the eyes, unbothered by the tears streaming down his face.

“I- I don’t wanna tell you.” Harry bit his lip, and that was probably the wrong answer, because Louis’s expression turned dangerous.

“Then I don’t wanna talk to you.” He moved to close his laptop lid but Harry sensed what he was about to do and spoke in his alpha tone before he could think better of it.

“Don’t!” That direct order from his alpha made Louis stop immediately in his tracks, which only made him angrier and sadder with Harry.

“Don’t order me, you tosser!” He shouted, frustrated he was so under his control. “You have no right-” Harry’s frown deepened.

“I have every right. You’re mine.” He said firmly.

“No!” He screamed, crying harder, hiding his face with his hands. That made Harry stop and widen his eyes, struck by that simple word.

“No?” The alpha whispered, his chest clenching, hurt. “You’re not mine, Louis?” His voice was raspy, his fingers started to tremble. “Look at me and tell me you don’t want to be mine anymore.” Louis looked at him and almost succeeded in telling him just that, out of spite. But, in reality, he was incapable of lying to his promised.

“H-How can I be yours?” He broke down instead. “When you rejected me so clearly? I-” Harry didn’t let him finish.

“Reject you? Louis! Never! I could never. You’re the most important pers-”

“Then _why_ , Harry.” His voice broke and he looked down, incapable of facing the proof of his rejection on his alpha’s chest. “You have love bites.” He whispered. “You didn’t talk to me.” He hid his face on his knees. “You ignored my calls no matter when I called.” He sobbed again. “You-”

“ _Louis_ …” Harry’s heart was breaking from watching that scene. He made his own promised feel rejected – he made him feel _unloved_. That was all on him: his stupid decision of not telling Louis about his ruts, his inattention to his phone, his impassive texts that offered no explanation, only distance.

            Harry’s eyes filled up as well, but he was only disappointed with himself. He felt like the worst match Louis could have. How could he make Louis feel unloved? He who had the most readiness out of the two to share his feelings, to express his love? He had so much love for his promised, and he had completely failed in demonstrating it.

            The only way he could think to (try to) redeem himself was through the truth. “Lou. I- I had a rut. My ruts happen every four months. I’ve had 5 of them already. I- I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t want to hurt you. Now look at what I’ve done…” He berated himself. He pressed his closed fists on top of his eyes, but that didn’t stop the bitter tears from falling.

            Louis rested his face on his knees, paying attention to Harry and his words silently. It hurt to see his promised’s tears, but he didn’t comment. Harry continued, looking to his lap, ashamed.

“I shared my rut with a friend, his name’s Ed. He was… He helped me, Louis, that’s it. He helped me scratch an itch. And the entire time I wanted to have you instead, but the thing is – I _can’t_. A rut isn’t a heat, it doesn’t risk a bond- I can’t have you even if my body is craving nothing else.” He sighed, sad and disappointed. “I can’t believe I made you cry.” Harry was passing his hand through his hair, sometimes pulling it, a bit obsessively. He felt dejected.

“He- He was the first omega I bedded.” Harry said carefully, looking Louis in the eye for the first time since he began to explain. “The others, Nick and Kendall, were both betas. Ed was- felt better.” He hated himself for saying it, his face got red from embarrassment. He was ashamed for causing the hurt in Louis’s eyes, but he forced the words out. Louis remained quiet, crying silent tears. “I got distracted. I didn’t care for my phone- I didn’t hear your calls. And I’m so sorry, love, I’m _sorry_ I didn’t tell you. It was never my intention to ignore you, Lou. You were in my thoughts the entire fucking time. ‘Can’t believe I did that.” He looked in turmoil, hating himself intensively.

“You can be angry, Lou, I understand, and you can feel sad, although I hate myself for causing it. But… don’t- don’t feel rejected, my love. You’re the single most important person in my life.” He stared at Louis, trying to convince his unresponsive form. “I love you more than anything, baby boy. Don’t believe otherwise, please. Please Louis, tell me you believe in me.” Louis sighed, looking down, quiet.

            He wiped his tears from his face, but still didn’t look up. He needed to think, to convince himself Harry didn’t stop loving him. He needed time to rebut every self-hating thought he had had, and they weren’t few, having had four days to cultivate them. He whispered, voice cracking, throat sore.

“I- I’ll call you later, if that is okay?” He felt drained, submissive as he had never felt before. He kept his eyes low. “Need to think.” Harry nodded slowly.

“I love you, Louis. And I’m sorry I made you think different. Think about _that_ , ok? How much I love you.” Louis nodded, but he seemed absent. Harry sighed again. “I love you, my beautiful promised. Forever, no matter what.”

            Louis nodded. He disconnected the call without looking up or saying anything else.

-

            After the call ended, Harry stayed still, looking at the Skype home screen. He felt drained, completely devastated by Louis’s lack of expression or vitality. His boy looked nothing like himself. He was just realizing what he had done – what had been a few moments of distraction for him, had been four days of constant dismissal, disregard and lack of attention for his promised. Besides, his promised was used to being talked to everyday with love; he was used to being checked on and said he was loved every single day, usually more than once. How must it have looked to him when everything suddenly changed and his reaching went unanswered?

            Harry felt like shit.

            Harry was deeply aware of Louis’s insecurity and self-esteem problems, although he didn’t understand how it was possible. In his mind, his promised was the most beautiful, the loveliest, the most wonderful person to ever walk on Earth. The issue was that Louis didn’t see that, and he had the awful tendency to think less of himself. It hurt Harry to think what had been going on inside Louis’s brain on those four days he had dismissed him – how he must have blamed himself or some other absurdity.

            He grabbed his necklace for the millionth time and played with the pendants Louis had chosen so carefully for him. The cross was for him, for how he saw the world. However, the butterfly was Louis’s declaration – how he felt when he thought about Harry. Harry had been absolute certain that, before his stupid rut, Louis knew it was the same for him – Louis knew that Harry felt the same butterflies, felt the same enormous love. Now, that certainty didn’t exist anymore.

            That is why Harry decided he would make Louis believe again. He had to make it beyond any doubts that he felt the same butterflies.

            When he made his decision, he immediately called Liam. Liam had beautiful tattoos, so he had to have a favorite tattoo artist. He got the man’s phone and begged for an impromptu appointment. He was lucky it was before 5 p.m., which meant the crowd of clients hadn’t come yet. He put light clothes on and went there, with only his credit card, phone and determination. He already knew he wanted a big (big!) butterfly on his stomach, so the process of choosing was cut short. The tattoo artist drew a gorgeous butterfly he instantly fell in love with – it was lively, delicate and so full of strength he couldn’t stop thinking about his promised.

            He asked for a few details and shadowing to be added, but no more than 15 minutes later he was lying down getting his first tattoo. He wasn’t too worried about it – he always knew he wanted one, he always knew his first one would be for Louis and he always knew he would go big. He just thought he should have let his mom know before anything else. However, his need to prove his love to his promised was bigger than the lecture he’d hear later. The pain didn’t even faze him.

            It was ready after 2 hours. He thanked everyone, paid and went home. He was calling Louis’s phone before he had even opened his front door. The call went unanswered. He called again, and again – and a fourth time. Louis answered when the call was almost going to voicemail. When Harry realized he had picked up, he spoke quickly.

“Lou, I’m sorry- I’m sorry to bother you, I know you asked some time, but baby I need to show you something. It can’t wait.” His boy didn’t say anything, but Harry could tell he was listening. “Baby, I did something for you. I wanna show it, please? Can you go on Skype for me, love?” He whispered, earnest: “Please, Lou.”

“Alright, Harry.” His promised’s raspy voice finally answered. Harry sighed, relieved. He ran upstairs to his bedroom and turned on his computer. This time, he got online but waited for Louis to call him in his own accord. Harry was squirming in his seat, but hung on tight. It took Louis a long 10 minutes.

            He answered the call the second it appeared on his screen.

“Hi baby boy!” He noticed his promised’s hair was wet from a recent shower and he was wearing the green hoodie Harry had given him two years and a half before. He also heard the hum of the AC, because the weather was not for hoodies. It still was a big fit in him, since Louis continued to be tiny. That made Harry smile softly. “You look perfect in my hoodie.”

“You gave to me,” he rasped. “It’s mine now.” Harry nodded sagely, noticing but not commenting how puffy and red Louis’s eyes looked.

“It doesn’t smell like me anymore, I know. I’ll send you another one.” Louis looked at his face, uncaring for his chit-chat, dead serious, waiting for what he wanted to show him. Harry bit his lower lip, suddenly feeling nervous. “I- I got a tattoo.”

            Louis eyes widened and his jaw fell open upon those unexpected words. “What?! Just now?”

“Just now, baby. Just came back.” He felt weirdly shy. He knew that a tattoo was more important than his spurt-of-the-moment decision made it feel like. “It’s for you, Louis.”

            Louis’s eyes were suddenly wet again. His lower lip trembled. “You got a tattoo for me, Haz? You’re not joking?”

“No, not joking, love. Made it for you. It’s a butterfly like my necklace. It’s for how I feel when I think of you, or talk to you or imagine our future together.” Louis’s tears fell down his face, and Harry wanted nothing more than to be there to wipe them and kiss his lips softly. “Wanna see, baby?”

“Y-Yeah, wanna see.” He sniffed, trying to clean his face at the same time more tears fell down. Harry nodded, breathing deeply. In a fast movement, he tug out his shirt and moved a bit away from his laptop, so Louis could see his entire torso. He heard his boy gasp when he saw the size of the tattoo. Slowly, without looking up, Harry peeled off the plastic on his stomach, revealing the recently inked red skin.

            He stood still, peeking from under his fringe to gauge at Louis’s reaction. His boy had both his hands covering his mouth and his eyes were wide and wet, focused on Harry’s stomach. He was also very still.

            Harry took another deep breath to steel himself. “Do you see, Lou? Do you get it?” He looked at Louis’s eyes. “I feel butterflies when I think of you. Only you. I love you more than anyone, more than any omega, more than family or friends.” He paused a bit, but Louis still looked too shocked to say anything. Harry sighed. “You’re my family, baby boy. You’re my future. It’s forever. Can you see?”

            Finally, _finally_ , Louis nodded. His eyes were lively again, his cheeks pink, his lips bitten red. Harry smiled at him.

“I can’t wait to see you in person. Can’t wait for our official. Can’t wait for our trip, can’t wait for the rest of our lives.” He said quietly. Louis mewled, covering his eyes for a few seconds.

            He whispered: “Thank you, Haz. Mate. I love you so much.”

“I love you very much too, my beautiful mate.” He chuckled. “Now, I have to go tell mom I have a ginormous bug on my stomach.” Louis gave him a real smile for the first time in what felt like forever. Harry was certain that smile was worth everything.


	9. Dates and Dating

            The following day, Louis woke up early to go to school. When he opened the front door, there was a box on the floor with a handwritten note taped to it that said ‘From Harry’ that elicited many memories. Louis opened it with shaky fingers – Inside there was a lavender sweater, light and delicate, that smelt like his promised. Immediately, Louis ditched his own sweater to put Harry’s. He went to school smelling taken and feeling well-loved.

-

“Who are you texting so much?!” Annoying Taylor asked from across the table. Harry didn’t even look up. He was done with his lunch already, so he was just killing time until next period.

“No one,” he answered, hoping she would drop it. Instead, she made a sound that caught everyone’s attention.

“Ooooh, is Harry finally dating?! You know Harry, if you hadn’t had ruts, I’d say you’re a virgin.”

“Were you asking ‘round ‘bout my ruts, Taylor?” He snickered. “Interested?”

“You’re asking?” She batted her lashes to him, which had him amused. He smiled pleasantly.

“Not in a million years, darling.” Niall laughed out loud from his side, but Harry lost interest as soon as he received Louis’s answer. His boy was telling him about his friend Eleanor envying his sweater, even if now was too hot to wear it.

            Taylor just continued prattling on. “Well Harry, you certainly act like a virgin. Never goes out, never parties, never gets drunk or high.”

“You see, virgin people can do all that. Sex is not a condition to partying.” Nick pointed out.

“You would know, wouldn’t you?!” She sniggered at him, but Harry came to his defense.

“Last time Nick and I checked, he was very much not a virgin, blondie. What are you and that topic anyway?” She frowned, and then shrugged.

“I just realized you never dated, that’s all… I was wondering.” She tried for sweet, which he saw could convince some people, but not him.

“I don’t kiss and tell.” He answered simply. All the others knew Harry was promised, since the fatidic day when he had lost a bit of his control on his 15th birthday. Everyone had been nice enough to drop the topic after he growled at every single one of them and refused to say a single word about his Louis. However, Taylor had transferred to their school a year later and kept walking behind Harry, as if he was the way to popularity. That was not how he saw it.

“C’mon Haz, don’t be shy-”

“Don’t call me that,” He frowned. “And I’m not shy.”

“Then you can say who you’ve been texting.” He stared her down. Before he could say anything, Niall butted in.

“Oh Tay-Tay, you have no idea. Harry here… He’s got the goods.”

“Shut the fuck up, Niall.” He snarled, irritated with that kind of language about his promised. Niall only laughed at his face.

“He’s more than you can imagine.” Niall laughed and Nick sniggered, joining in with the mocking:

“And I was only a distraction…” Nick teased. “And I know of other two distractions as well…” He sing-songed. Taylor leaned forward, interested.

“Oh yeah,” Niall continued. “The ruts don’t matter ‘cuz he’s got a gorgeous boy for himself. The bluest eyes-”

“Niall!”

“-And the prettiest bottom.” He guffawed at Harry’s expression. Harry actually held himself not to be violent with his friends.

“Are you trying to get punched?” He said through gritted teeth, his right hand closing in a fist.

“His boy’s been his for forever, though, so you don’t have a chance. Harry’s got eyes for no one else.” Nick tried to pacify Harry, smiling fake-sweet at him.

“Can I see him?” Taylor asked, invested. “Wanna see if he’s worth all that.”

“What do you mean worthy?” Harry immediately spit the words out. He was feeling less and less in the mood for playing.

“I mean, you don’t date anyone, has never even looked at me and I’m- I mean, I’ve got blue eyes.” She laughed. “So I wanna check what he’s got.” She made grabby hands for his phone, which he just held tighter. “C’mon, H.”

“Fuck off, Taylor.” He snarled, got up and left. He didn’t see Taylor interrogating everyone who knew something until she got the information she wanted.

-

            Louis was leaving Drama school when an expensive car parked on the curb beside him and a beautiful girl rolled down the window.

“Are you Louis Tomlinson?” She said, and he frowned.

“Who wants to know?” He never stopped walking, so she had to keep on driving in order to follow him, just really slowly.

“I’m Harry’s girlfriend.” That made him stop. He looked at her face and pressed his lips together not to react in any way.

“Oh, are you now?” He tried to keep a straight face.

“Yes. And I want you to keep your distance, kiddo. Harry told me you were just a funny distraction, because it’s easier to get what you want from kids.” She jabbed. Louis fixed his fringe, nodding at her.

“Alright. Alrighty-o. Harry _has_ gotten everything he wanted from me, yes.” He nodded at her sagely, mocking her, but she didn’t seem to notice. He rolled his eyes and kept walking. She honked the car, startling him.

“Hey! I’m serious, you punk. Keep away from my boyfriend or else!”

“Just tell me one thing then, Harry’s girl. Are you, by any chance, called Annoying Taylor? ‘Cuz you’re sounding a lot like an Annoying Taylor Harry has told me about.” She spluttered, face going red.

“No! Of course not, stupid. I told you, I’m his girlfriend. And I’m going to his house now so we can spend his rut making sweet love together.” She looked smug. She added as an afterthought: “Weirdo.”

“Good for you, darling.” He said with the same exact condescending tone in the pet name as Harry had used earlier. He fixed Harry’s sweater that was tied to his waist. “Good luck with that, Annoying Taylor.” He waved at her and continued walking.

            Louis huffed, irritated with that encounter. Harry sure had a lot of crazy admirers. Taylor tried to yell something at him, but he ignored her and took a turn in a street she couldn’t keep following him by car. He didn’t mind her specifically, but the idea that Harry had many people, girls and boys, betas and omegas alike, throwing themselves at him irked him to no end.

            He grabbed his phone and sent the emoji rolling its eyes to his promised. Harry called as soon as the ‘seen at 4:41 p.m.’ message appeared.

“Hi, love!” He said. “Today I’ve got two shifts at the pub, so I’m getting in earlier and leaving later.”

“That’s ok…”

“What happened that got you so stressed-out-emoji?” Louis smiled at his promised’s phrasing.

“I’ve got a question.”

“Shoot!”

“Do you want to date someone?” He forced himself to say quickly. He noticed when Harry’s breath hitched.

“What? No! Of course n- Do you?”

“Oi! No, of course not!”

“Then why? Why are you asking that? That’s the stupidest thing ever, Louie!”

“Don’t know, I-”

“Don’t even say that! Urgh!”

“Now you’re just overreac-”

“Arrghhhh Looouieee,” Harry whined, making Louis laugh. “I wanna date youuuuu!”

            Louis laughed out loud and felt instantly better. His promised was the absolute best. His heart felt so full of love he was afraid he might explode.

“You’re the best, Haz.”

“No. _You’re_ the best, Lou.” He chuckled. “Why do you ask?”

“Your _girlfriend_ just stalked me a little bit.” Harry didn’t say anything, waiting for an explanation, but Louis could _hear_ his frown. “I’m supposing she’s the Annoying Taylor you were talking about.”

“What?!”

“She told me to leave her boyfriend alone, and that she was heading to your place to make ‘sweet love’ with you.” Louis laughed at Harry’s long ‘eeeeww’.

“I can’t believe she did that. ‘Fucking nuts that girl.”

“I figured.” He looked sideways before crossing the street; he was getting close to his sisters’ nursery. “It just got me thinking, though. I know you have many friends and admirers-”

“Don’t start, Lou. I’m not nearly as popular as you seem to think.”

“Not me saying it, love, one of them just followed me with her car.” Harry huffed, mumbling that Taylor was just crazy. “Anyways. I thought that maybe, just like your rut, you might need to… scratch an itch, ‘don’t know, and… uh, date someone. To see how you like it.”

“Baby boy.” Harry said faking frustration. “I’ve been dating you your whole life. Hadn’t you noticed?” Louis giggled, too happy to be embarrassed. “I already know how I like it: I love it! I don’t need other people. In fact, I’d very much _not love it_ with other people.”

“Good, yeah. Me too.”

“And a relationship is not the same as a rut, Louie. It’s not even close. A rut is, like, quite literally an itch.” He explained. “Sex with them is… a bit boring. It’s, like, a necessary exercise. So I can gain experience for when I have you!” He added the last excitedly, which made Louis blush. He didn’t comment, but Harry laughed anyway, because he could sense his boy’s reaction. “A relationship is what we have, babe. It’s not, like, disposable. Or replaceable.”

“I understand, Harry.” He replied coyly, still blushing. Harry stayed silent for a few seconds.

“Huh… I just realized we’ve never called each other boyfriend. Is that what you want? It’s just a term, Lou. It doesn’t mean we’re not together.”

“No, I rather like promised. ‘Think it’s even better.”

“I think so too. Better ring to it.” Louis hummed in agreement.

“What are we gonna call each other after we fulfill the promise?” He asked, feeling playful.

“Husband. Or- oh! Spouse!” Harry answered instantly, as if he had already thought about that before. Louis chuckled.

“Before that, Hazza. I’m not marrying you when I’m 14, don’t even ask.”

“Lou! How could you! You’re just gonna crush my heart and dreams and throw them away like that?!” Louis laughed happily at his promised’s antics. “I’ve dreamed about Louis Styles since I was a kid! I have drawings of that name!”

“Awww,” Louis teased. “You’re cute, promised.”

“How dare you. _You’re_ cute.” He said as if it was a bad thing.

“No H, I’m drop-dead gorgeous. You’re adorable.” That made Harry laugh heartily, and Louis laughed along. He was feeling light and happy. “Ok, I’m at the girls’ nursery. Gotta take them home today. Talk to you later, Haz!”

“I’ll text you, don’t wait up for me.”

“Oh yeah, shifts. Ok. Love you, bye!”

“Bye, love.”

-

            It was the last summer holiday before they could see each other. July and August flew by and crawled by at the same time – it felt like time would never ever pass, but then it did, and then it was like time had never even existed in the first place.

            Harry and Louis were nervous and snappy and anxious, but also excited and dreamy and so extremely happy they couldn’t keep it to themselves. They shared about their promise in those last few months more than the years before put together – intentionally or not. When Harry started his last year at Sixth Form and Louis started Year 9 in September, their meeting felt so close they were feeling giddy.

            Harry had another rut, and after talking extensively about it, he asked Ed to share it with him again. Louis was ok with it, but couldn’t help feeling needy and, by the end of it, he was feeling grateful it was over. Harry felt guilty again, but they didn’t fight, knowing the next one they would already be together.

            On December 1st, Harry asked Louis to go to Donny Bakery and order a Blueberry muffin and a cup of Yorkshire Tea on him – when he did, there was a note attached to it and a wink from a lovely lady whose nametag said Barbara. The note had Harry’s handwrite in the words:

> _My beautiful boy,_
> 
> _The time for us to meet is coming! To celebrate the last month of this long year and to welcome the next one (that’ll be so incredibly better) I’ve prepared little tokens of my love for you every day this December. Follow my leads to find them._
> 
> _I love you._
> 
> _Yours forever,_
> 
> __H. xx_
> 
> _Ps.: Tomorrow, go to the auditorium of your school and look under the seat P13._

            Louis ate his treat smiling the entire time, eyes glimmering and heart so full inside his chest he thought it would explode from love. It continued for every single day of that month – small things that weren’t expensive at all, thought out things that Harry had done himself or were already his, and just a few things he paid for. Louis’s favorites were the ones Harry had made or given him from his own collection.

            His presents included: a cupcake, a beanie, a Polaroid pic of Harry’s tattoo, a scarf, a page from a poetry book with Harry’s annotations on a poem, the Grease DVD, an Elvis vinyl, a well-loved Charles Bukowski book, another pair of Vans, a cup of tea, an ‘All Out’ tank top, a Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon poster, a delivery of Chili, a bouquet, Harry’s notebook full of his writing (his favorite from the bunch), and many other presents that were all thoughtful and something Harry knew Louis would appreciate – be it for its significance for their relationship, for Harry’s own esteem for the items, or simply because they were quirky.

            All the presents came with handwritten notes that Louis kept in a hidden box inside his wardrobe. On December 31st, they escaped their family’s parties to Skype past midnight – they promised each other their entire world.

-

            Anne and Jay arranged them 10 days off at the beginning of February, so they could go on their trip to Cancun and still have a few days for themselves, considering a heat could be triggered at any given moment from their meeting on.

            Both families were excitedly preparing everything concerning their upcoming official – it’d happen in the morning of the First of February, and afterwards, they had a lovely brunch prepared for their families to celebrate the special and expected date. On the same day, they’d hop up on a plane together and spend the week by themselves to do as they pleased. That date couldn’t come soon enough.

            On January 31st, they talked on the phone almost the entire day. They shared fears (“are you sure you won’t mind if I’m bony instead of cuddly?”), asked what the other would be wearing (Harry – a black button up shirt, a sheepskin coat and black jeans; Louis – a purplish sweater, a jeans jacket and blue jeans), packed their suitcases (“a large one is more than enough, Haz, geez”) and freaked out a bit (that included many “Oh my God!” and “I’m _so_ haPPY!”). They went to bed early.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys! That was so incredible. The comments from last chapter were super amusing for me, because I realized... we're so DIFFERENT! Like, that's not bad at all - I loved those comments with a passion. But the majority of you condemned Harry and his actions, and, as much as I understand where you're coming from, I didn't think like that at all! Lolol  
> However, I'm very cold-hearted, so maybe that's the reason, but I feel like it's perfectly okay for him to experience sex with others (and it would have been ok if Louis wanted that too, but he decided he didn't); what I feel like it’s not okay is the secrecy - but then he told Lou everything, and being completely honest at the time would be super important for me if I was in either of their places. Some of you mentioned that Louis should spend a heat with another person as well… I just wanted to clarify that a rut is like, being horny but completely in control, whereas a heat runs deeper, the omega is less in control and more likely to 'drop', which could risk a bond being created in a moment of vulnerability and with no real consent. Harry would never spend a heat with another omega other than his own, neither would Louis (with another alpha). A rut's just not that important, I feel like, ha. Sorry. I always thought I'd be an alpha, if the a/b/o verse were a thing. Anyways. Loved the different perspectives (Thank you so much for that!). Hope you don't get too angry with Harry (or with me, for that matter), instead, enjoy his unconditional love for his promised, even if he's no virgin.
> 
>  
> 
> AND! GOOD NEWS: Next chapter they'll FINALLY meet. The expectation is so damn high I'm deadly afraid of posting it. C'est la vie. Hope you enjoy it! Thank you again <3


	10. Official

            The officiant made them wait in separate rooms and warned Jay and Anne, in a very good mood, to keep their cameras ready – because they would remember that magical moment forever and will want to relive it in the future.

            Harry was trying to keep calm by breathing deeply through his nose, but being left alone in a small room knowing Louis was only a few meters away from him was doing no good to his nerves. He was making sure he wasn’t messing his own hair when his phone dinged with a new text. He checked it immediately.

 **_Promised (8:47)_ ** _I’m so nervous_

            That grounded Harry. It made him feel the alpha he was – he was there for Louis, he had no other purpose in life. Everything he was, everything he had ever done was for his promised and for his benefit alone. Harry’s entire existence was designed for Louis, and he knew the opposite was also true. He smiled.

 **_Harry Styles (8:47)_ ** _I’m here for you, love_

            He decided to answer simply in a way he was sure Louis would understand. His unpretentious words would go through his promised’s nervousness and reach him – Harry was there for him, just like he had always been and like he will always be. Before Louis’s answer could come through, the door was unlocked and opened.

            Harry stepped out quickly, pocketing his phone, looking everywhere at the same time. When he saw his boy and his boy saw him, they gasped at the same time, having the wind knocked out of their chest. The idea of being so, so close to each other was exhilarating – they didn’t even notice all the other people in the room.

            Louis moved first: he started walking, almost tripping forward, his arms reaching, and Harry copied him, and they were moving towards each other, and they didn’t have rules to stop them, and they had actual permission to touch, and they were walking, but it was not enough, and Louis started to run, and Harry opened his arms, and in a second Harry had his arms full of his promised and they were both crying and sobbing and hugging and squeezing, and Louis kind of jumped on Harry, and Harry held him strong and firmly against his chest, and Louis had his legs crossed behind Harry’s back, and his head pressed on his neck, and Harry’s hands were tight against his boy’s body sustaining his weight with no effort at all, and his face was full of Louis’s soft hair and he couldn’t sniff and cry at the same time, so he was feeling conflicted, but so impossibly happy.

            They were ecstatic, hugging each other tightly for the first time.

            They stopped moving after a few seconds, simply breathing each other in, feeling their bodies touching for the absolutely first time, enjoying their close presence as if nothing else existed in the world. They were out of breath, exhaling more air than they could inhale, their eyes spilling tears all over everything. Harry squeezed Louis one more time and let out a breathless laugh, which had Louis smiling large and happy – Harry could feel his smile against the skin on his neck, and that made him shiver. Louis let his legs down, but didn’t step away, so Harry moved his arms to crush their bodies together even more closely.

            Harry buried one hand on his promised’s hair and the other he locked behind his back; Louis’s arms were under his arms, hugging his torso as if his life depended on it. He moved his stance, so he was hiding his face on Harry’s chest, and there felt like the safest place he could ever, ever find himself in. Harry tried to inspire and regulate his breathing, and in a few seconds, Louis copied him and they found a pattern to calm themselves enough to stop crying. Louis smiled again, inspiring in the same way Harry did, and they felt so in synch, so comfortable, it felt like they were finally complete. Their existence had been drifting, but now they found their steady point, their home.

            When they could finally distance themselves a little bit (just enough to look at each other’s faces) they both had tears tracks down their cheeks, just as massive smiles and gleaming eyes. The first words they said in person were whispered by Louis:

“Happy birthday, Harry.” These words made Harry chuckle, his eyes crinkling, his dimples showing. Louis couldn’t resist pressing his thumb on one of them.

“Thank you, baby boy.” Harry whispered back, unconcerned by Louis’s poking. They looked at each other’s faces with so much love, so much adoration, it felt like nothing else was true, nothing else was valuable. Everything that was important in the world was present in that hug. They didn’t notice all the flashes and talking going on around them.

            They didn’t say anything else for another moment. Harry leaned forward to touch his forehead to Louis’s, which made his boy extend his face up so the reach would be smaller. Their faces were close together and their breathing was mixing up – they could finally smell their skins. Louis closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to capture Harry’s scent in person. Their scents were mixing and it was warm, safe and _home_. He felt as if he was in a protected haven, mollified, knees shaking, so soft and comfy he could melt. Harry’s strong arms were holding him up against his body and Louis could feel the strength of his almost-mate and that made him shiver. Harry never closed his eyes, looking at every detail of his baby boy’s face, counting his eyelashes, his freckles, the strands of his hair. His scent was irresistible, overpowering, so compelling Harry felt obliged to touch his nose softly all over Louis’s face, tracing his cheekbones, closed eyes, jaw, stopping at his neck, where the smell was stronger. He took a deep breath and gave the skin a small kiss, just a peck, but that had Louis’s knees weak, stomach feeling hot. They were left alone for a full 20 minutes, but it felt like seconds.

            Then, they heard the officiant. “Harry and Louis, alpha and omega, united at last. Can you stand before me, boys?” Harry frowned where he was comfortably buried on his promised’s neck, trying to rationalize why he shouldn’t growl and snarl at the voice. Louis touched his shoulders lightly, and that calmed him instantly. It felt like his omega’s presence grounded him and directed his lost gaze – Harry felt purposeful. He distanced himself a bit to look at Louis’s now open eyes and they smiled at each other softly.

“Dear promised, let’s formalize today the fulfillment of your promise.” At those words, they could finally let the hug break. They didn’t stop touching though, because as soon as they untangled their arms, they held hands. Together, Louis and Harry turned to the officiant, positioned themselves before the table in front of the man, and paid a little bit of attention in something other than themselves.

“Today, at Harry’s 18th birthday, you have carried out the promise’s rules and you have, satisfyingly, fulfilled your obligations and respected your prohibitions. Now you can finally meet, bond and vow to a commitment created at Louis’s birth and cultivated throughout your lives.” The old man made a gesture for their hands, and when he reached their hold, he started to loosely enlace it with a red string.

“From this day on, your lives will feel complete, whole – you’ll feel like you’ve woken up from a dream, a shadow of existence. Now, you have each other, so your worlds are forever changed. Your inner compass point to the other and your priority will forever be your mate.” He finished tying their hands together and smiled at them.

“There will be no stronger bond than one fruit of a promise.” He stated. “Be strong for each other, be home for each other, and you shall be happy.” He smiled gently at them, looking as happy to be there as the promised pair. “To make it official, you may kiss.”

            They looked at each other, hands tied, smiles happy on their faces, and sighed. Harry looked down at Louis’s face and then his lips, licking his own lips in expectation. He approached Louis slowly, holding his hand tight, breathing hard through his nose. He could feel Louis’s goosebumps and his trembling fingers. He smiled reassuringly to his boy, who nodded at him, signaling he was on the same page.

            Harry was the one to erase the space between them, but before they could touch lips, he stopped. Louis, who had closed his eyes, felt on his lashes when his promised blew softly at his face, and he smiled. Only after seeing that smile, Harry made the last move – he brushed his lips to Louis’s while touching his jaw tenderly, and his boy pressed against his lips. They tasted each other’s lips calmly, tentative, without a hurry in the world, losing themselves into the other’s smoothness, into their fit.

            Harry deepened the kiss slowly; he licked his way inside Louis’s mouth, touching his tongue and making his boy quiver and his pulse quicken. Harry smiled in the kiss, and when Louis felt it, he smiled as well. They separated after only a few small seconds, but it was as if their eyes had been opened, as if new sensations never before felt suddenly flooded their very existence and made them conscious of feelings they didn’t know could be so strong or so fantastic.

“And that seals the vow.” The officiant said, pleased. He laughed out loud, just because. “You only have to sign these few documents now, boys, to register you under the ‘fulfilled promises’ section in our archives,” He pointed and spread the papers on the table. While he talked, he untangled Harry and Louis’s hands. “This information will be useful in all kinds of circumstances in the future: your next of kin will automatically be your promised, civil rights and citizenship will be granted equally to both of you, a future child will have both your legal rights, and so on so forth.“

            Louis and Harry, blushing and glowing in happiness, signed everything they were asked to. Then, they both received a card, much like a driver’s license, with the Official seal and their names stating their kinship. Once it was finished, they suddenly heard applauses. When both boys looked around, their families were there, everyone smiling and some crying, but all completely overjoyed with what had happened. Louis’s family included Jay and Mark, and his four sisters, while Harry’s included only adults – his father Desmond, Anne, Robin and Gemma. They were all clapping, snapping pictures and being proud.

            After the Official, everyone headed to the carefully-organized brunch (Louis and Harry pressed close together on Anne’s car), where they had more people to greet and receive their congratulations. Friends and other family members were ecstatic to see Louis and Harry finally together, holding hands and, more often than not, ignoring everyone just to gaze at the other’s eyes adoringly.

            The brunch was delicious and beautiful, but didn’t let much room for privacy. So, Harry and Louis had to content themselves with their constant touching and proximity instead of words – they didn’t kiss again, and talked only the minimum, as if they were suddenly shy in front of each other. However, their gazes were never away from the other for too long, and a part of their skin was touching at all times, even if it was only they fingers brushing together. They didn’t really mind the lack of privacy for them to explore the new physical aspect of their relationship, because they knew the time would come; now, they were satisfied enjoying everyone else’s attention and clear love for them.

            Harry was, more often than not, attacked by hugs and kisses by Louis’s sisters, and Louis had his cheeks tapped and squeezed more times than he could count, and many of them were delivered by Gemma, who was taking a devilish pleasure in making Harry jealous.

            When they had the opportunity to sit down in a bench and talk a little bit, both were tackled by four excited girls who just couldn’t keep it to themselves. Fizzy went to Louis’s lap immediately, being too shy to attack Harry like the others. The twins climbed Harry’s legs as if they were mountains, and when they finally got to his lap, they cheered, making Harry laugh out loud and hug them both. Lottie was weirdly well-mannered sitting between them, touching Louis’s entire side, but carefully reaching to touch Harry’s arms one poke at a time. Louis thought that maybe it was an alpha thing, or maybe she was just trying to impress him with her adultness.

            Louis chuckled at them all. “Haz! Love Haz!” The twins were chanting. “Hi Haz! Meet you!”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, girls.” Harry said warmly, touching their arms and hair adoringly. “You’re so much more beautiful in person!”

“You too,” Fizzy whispered, and when Harry smiled at her, she hid her face on Louis’s chest.

“That’s very sweet, Fiz.” Louis encouraged her quietly. She smiled at him and whispered, her voice almost lost because of the twins’ party.

“I’m happy you’re happy, boo.” Louis smiled at her. “He’s yours, right?”

“He is, sis.” He nodded. “And I’m his too.” She smiled proudly, feeling truly happy for him. Lottie added her comment a little bit louder:

“I wanted a promised. Why didn’t mom promise me when I was baby too? Only you got one.”

“Well, Lots, you’ll have to ask mum that.” She pouted a bit, but then shrugged and let it go. Harry, quietly watching him, smiled and hugged the twins closer so he could move, made sure not to squeeze Lottie and bypassed Fizzy’s head just to lay a tight kiss on Louis’s temple. He snuggled his face on the side of Louis’s face, much like a kitten.

“I love you, my dear promised. I’m so happy to be here.” He whispered. Louis snuggled right back, smiling on Harry’s perfumed hair, eyes crinkling at the sides.

“I think I’ve never been so happy, Hazza.” He whispered back, and they looked at each other adoringly, and Harry pecked Louis’s lips, amazed he could just lean forward and do it, as if the years he had wished ardently he could just do that but was forbidden to hadn’t existed at all. They smiled warmly at each other and didn’t notice the pictures Jay and Anne were taking (they would only notice the pics when they were proudly hanging off their walls).

            The rest of the brunch was spent connecting with relatives, introducing the other to friends (Niall, Zayn and Liam were there having a blast), eating and touching each other’s hands, arms, neck, hair and face. They loved every second of it.

-

            Holding hands, Harry and Louis said their last goodbyes to their families and boarded the plane Cancun-bound. They walked behind other passengers, calmly, holding only one small carry on (Harry’s) and whispering comments about the things they saw, for no reason other than to make conversation – just like they used to do with texts.

“We’re more to the end of the plane…” Harry was guiding Louis.

“Hope we can see the sky above the wing,” Louis had never been on a plane before, but he wasn’t nervous.

“I brought a nice book to read here,” Harry was more experienced, but he still held Louis’s hand in a tight grip, looking at the world from the different perspective of a protector.

“Do you reckon we’ll be able to sleep?” Louis tried to look at everything at once and still look at his promised’s back and neck, letting himself be guided as if Harry was his compass.

“They’ll give us earphones, did you know?” Harry chuckled at Louis’s impressed whistle.

“We’ll be here for so long… Hope they have tea.” Louis was excited to spend time with Harry, but a 15 hour-long flight to a different continent wasn’t his first choice.

“Whenever you get tired, you can lay on my lap, babe. To have more space, of course.” Harry smirked, finally pulling Louis to sit on his place by the window.

“Of course.” Louis laughed quietly, sitting on the small seat he was offered.

            Harry chose to put Louis on the window seat and sit beside him because, that way, he was more shielded from the rest of the people there, although it made bathroom breaks a lot more difficult. Since they were at the very beginning of their vow, Harry’s instincts were more evident and stronger, making it a bit harder for him to ignore them. Louis’s own instincts were also apparent, and that was made clear by his lack of desire to run around excitedly, play pranks or make sassy comments – he wanted, even if unconsciously, to make Harry’s life better and easier.

            When they were seated and as comfortable as they could get in there, it didn’t take long before the plane took off. Louis held Harry’s hand a bit tighter, but he had a big smile on his face and his heart was beating excitedly fast. Harry didn’t even pay attention to the plane, eyes locked at Louis’s form, searching for signs of discomfort and/or simply being fond over his beautiful boy. Once they were able to take their seatbelts off, Louis turned to Harry instead of to the window.

“Hi,” He whispered, coyly.

“Hi, love.” Harry turned to him as well. He put up the bar separating their seats and reached to touch Louis’s hair. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m good. You?” They smiled at each other.

“I’m good, yeah. Life’s good right now.” Louis looked down at his lap, feeling strangely shy. His cheeks were rosy, and the butterflies on his stomach were making themselves known. He touched his belly trying to calm them down, and Harry noticed. “Are you feeling nauseous, Louis? Queasy?”

            Louis shook his head no, and peeked from under his fringe to look at Harry with a small smile on his lips. “I’m feeling butterflies.” Harry chuckled.

“I’ve got the biggest butterfly, baby boy.” The touched his own stomach, where his tattoo lay. Louis made an aborted gesture to reach and touch, but gave up, biting his lower lip instead. Harry, who wanted his promised to feel at ease with him, grabbed his hand softly and placed it on his own stomach. “I’ll show it to you as soon as I can, ok? Reckon it’s not proper to lift my shirt here.”

“Guess not.” Louis smiled, and then smirked, “Not here.” He said, patting Harry’s strong stomach for a second before removing his hand and getting settled on his seat. Before Harry could make a lewd comment, Louis asked: “Haz?”

“Hm?”

“I love your pet names for me.”

“That’s good to know! I do have many I’d like to try, sweet cheeks.” Louis chuckled, ignoring Harry’s obvious teasing.

“My favorite has got to be ‘baby boy’, don’t know why.” He whispered, and Harry almost didn’t understand. When he processed what Louis had said, he smiled large and invaded his boy’s space to press a kiss to his cheek and one to his jaw, too endeared to be happy with just a peck. Harry let his face hover over Louis’s shoulder, scenting him with heavy eyelids. Louis turned his face to him slowly, so now their faces were really close together – their breaths were mixing and mouths were an inch apart. “I- I think-”

“What do you think, Louis?”

“Think it’s- it’s because I like when you take care of me.” He confessed, feeling a bit embarrassed. Harry snuggled on his hair, right behind his ear at those words. “I- I like to feel safe and- I’m, hm, happy to- like, be your baby boy, I mean.”

“You’ll forever be my baby, Lou. Even when we do have babies.” Harry said quietly on his ear, making Louis shiver. “To take care of you is the best part of my life.”

            Louis didn’t answer, but moved so that his smile was hidden on Harry’s neck. They embraced quietly for a while, until the flight attendant brought them their earphones and blankets. They snuggled together in silent agreement to be as close as possible – Louis rested his back against Harry’s chest and laid his head on his shoulder, while Harry held him around the waist and tucked his chin beside his neck, almost hiding his face there. They sighed together, feeling deeply satisfied.

            Harry and Louis decided, after a few minutes perusing the plane’s entertainment options, to watch “Tangled” together, sharing an earphone. They chuckled and sighed and hugged tighter at many parts in the sweet movie, making comments here and there or discussing which sidekick animal would be more useful (“A chameleon is just lame, Lou!”). By the song “I see the light”, Lou was concentrated looking at the screen when Harry softly turned his face so he could kiss him. Louis let out a big breath at Harry’s lips, and let himself be kissed feeling mushy against his promised’s body, eyes closing without his consent. They kissed softly, calmly, their tongues touching tentatively, every touch tender, every breath smooth. Harry shielded Louis’s body from the rest of passengers beside them and hid their kiss with his hand, to give them an illusion of privacy. It ended after a few seconds with a press of their lips together and a loving smile.

            Harry positioned his mouth on Louis’s ear and whispered. “I love you, baby boy.”

            Louis nodded coyly, licking his lips in reminisce of their kiss, and lay more comfortably on Harry’s chest to then look back at the movie. Harry knew his boy loved him back just as much, he just liked to express himself in different ways. That was proved when, as soon as Harry’s attention was back on the movie, he felt a gentle kiss being pressed against his neck. He didn’t say anything, just held his boy tighter, breathing in and trying not to smile so wide.

            After “Tangled” ended, they napped on each other’s necks for about 2 hours, unmoving, comfortable against all the odds – their scents and warmth and skin contact putting them at ease. They woke up on the offer of food from the attendant. The next hours were spent eating, reading, playing games and talking in quiet tones. They didn’t make conversation with any of the others passengers and the hours slowly passed; they slept together again (this time, Louis pressed his chest against Harry’s and they hugged for hours) until it was time to land in the US to take their connection to Cancun.

            The flight to Cancun was shorter in a less comfortable plane, but they were served breakfast and were able to nap a little longer. Harry and Louis arrived at their destination a bit before 6 a.m. on February 2nd. The weather was gorgeous and they were ecstatic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The picture isn't mine, but I don't know who to credit. If someone does, please let me know and I'll add the proper source. Also, can you imagine Louis with zero facial hair whatsoever? thanks haha
> 
> Hope you enjoyed that! xx


	11. It’s hot in Cancun

            When they got to the hotel they would stay for 7 days, after letting their families know they were alive and well, Harry spoke to the receptionist, who, thankfully, spoke English and was pretty nice. They got the keys to their room and went up the 9 floors to get there. Upon opening the door, Louis gasped and Harry’s eyes widened.

“It’s gorgeous!” Louis exclaimed. “Look at this place, H!” They dropped their luggage just to look around amazed for a second. The room was not very big, but it had a big queen-sized bed, a cozy couch, a small balcony with a table set, a minibar and, in the bathroom, when they got to it, they saw an amazing whirlpool bath that made them both blush. The beach décor was light, airy and tasteful, with white furniture, sheets and curtains but light blue cushions, art and toiletries. Both boys were impressed.

“This is heaven!” Harry announced, throwing himself on the bed, members spread eagle-like and a large grin on his face. Louis chuckled at him, eyeing the bed tentatively.

“B-big bed…”

            Harry immediately noticed Louis’s mood and sensed his unease. He sat on the bed and crossed his legs in front of his body. He looked at his promised’s face with a serious expression. “Louis?” He waited for his boy to look at him back and decided to be direct. “You know you don’t have to worry about sex, right? I’m not going to do anything you’re not comfortable with, you know that.” Louis nodded, quietly. “I know the bed might give the wrong impression baby, but I wanted us to cuddle to sleep! I swear that was my only reason in booking this room. You’re not ok with that? I’ll change-”

“No! No need, I’m ok.” He interrupted, walking to the bed. “I’m- I’m just a bit nervous, that’s all.”

“Why are you nervous?” He asked softly, helpfully, offering his hand for Louis to hold and pulling him to sit beside him on the bed.

“I’m- I’m nervous about staying here with you, only us-” Harry frowned at that, a bit hurt his promised didn’t feel comfortable with him, but before he could brew that thought, Louis saw it on the curve of his brow and clarified. “Don’t, Hazza, don’t think I don’t wanna stay here, don’t think I’m afraid or uncomfortable with _you_. Please.” He sat a bit closer to Harry, looking intently at his eyes. “I think I’m- I’m uncomfortable with _me_. I don’t know- I…”

            Louis hesitated and that made Harry realize he was going to say something important. And he had the feeling he wouldn’t like it.

“I don’t have- _experience_. With anything, really. Before, it felt like a good idea to wait for you, but- now- now that I do have you, I-” He grunted, frustrated, hiding his face on his hand. “I feel useless. Inadequate, not fit for you-”

“Lou, no…” Harry said, upset to see him upset. He took hold of Louis’s hands and leaned to kiss his rosy cheeks. “My sweet boy, don’t… Don’t even think that, love.” He spoke with his lips brushing Louis’s skin. He then kissed the tip of his nose, making Louis smile softly. “You’re my match since you were born, you silly boy. How could you be anything other than perfect? Everything you do only makes me want you more, and I don’t mean sex. Well, not only sex. I want you in every way possible, Lou.”

“How- You!” Louis marveled, a bit breathless. “How do you just _say_ those things? People don’t say those things!” Harry chuckled at him, caressing his shoulders and neck.

“It’s only the truth, Lou. I don’t have a problem ‘bout telling the truth.”

“You’ve no shame, Harry.” Louis mumbled, and Harry laughed delighted.

“I don’t, no, not ‘bout you. I wanna make sure you know how I feel, baby, so you don’t fill your pretty head with stupid things such as not being experienced enough for me. _And_ I don’t wanna even think ‘bout other people touching you.” He smirked, pulling Louis to his lap with zero effort. Louis couldn’t even hold himself before he was thrown against Harry’s chest, being squeezed and tickled – and he squealed and screamed for mercy, laughing loud. Harry laughed along, but he kept on saying. “You’re mine! My promise, my vow, my future mate, my omega, my-”

“Ok! I am! I know!” Harry placed Louis on the bed, holding himself above his boy being supported by his elbow. His free hand he put on top of Louis’s stomach, which was going up and down as he breathed hard. “And you’re mine,” Louis whispered. “Don’t forget.”

“I won’t. I wouldn’t.” Harry leaned to kiss him, but before their lips could touch, he added: “I love being yours, Lou.” Louis smiled satisfied and Harry closed the distance between their mouths. He pressed their lips together for a few seconds before speaking against Louis’s lips. “I’m at your complete mercy…” Louis opened his eyes and saw Harry had his closed. Harry kissed him again, their lips sliding against each other sensually. His hand that was not supporting him grabbed Louis tight by the waist. “I’m yours to do whatever you want with me.” And with that he deepened the kiss, having their tongues touch.

            Louis’s hands went flying to his shirt, holding him in place; his eyes closed again and his stomach feeling warm inside, his heart beating fast and his breathing heavy. Those reactions were so sudden it made Louis a bit dizzy, but he couldn’t deny how wonderfully _good_ Harry’s mouth felt against his. He let a small moan escape, and then blushed because he did it, but Harry didn’t stop nor comment, only kept doing wonders with his tongue. Louis felt his skin tingle and his lower belly heat, but before he could build up his courage to do anything about it, Harry ended their kiss.

            Harry sighed, touching their foreheads together. “Louis.” He whispered, looking intently at his baby boy’s eyes. “You’ll be the death of me.” Then, he got up. Louis pouted the same instant.

“Don’t- Where-?” He spluttered, sitting on the bed and frowning. Harry smiled at him but turned to the luggage they had left by the door.

“I’ll unpack, I think. Can’t live 7 days outta suitcase.” He wheeled their suitcases next to the white wardrobe. “Do you want me to do yours? I don’t mind.” Louis, blushing, bit his lips.

“Actually, Haz…” He started, pausing to build up courage. “Can we nap? Sleeping on a plane is not the best, and- I’m, you know, tired.” Harry looked straight at him, and Louis squirmed, unnerved. He looked down. “I’ll- I’ll help you unpack later.”

            Harry nodded to himself, looking down. He was reconsidering his capacity to sleep with Louis without making him uncomfortable, but then, his promised got up just enough to take his Vans off and unbutton his jeans, face flaming red, and started to slide them down. Harry choked.

“Lou, Louis…”

“I don’t wanna nap in jeans, H.” Louis rasped, quietly. Harry couldn’t take his eyes off his thighs, strong and defined from years of footie, just a bit of hair on them. Louis crawled back to the top of the bed and Harry had a perfect vision of his backside before his boy snuggled under the duvet. That sight made him decide in a light-second – he unbuttoned his own jeans and threw his boots and socks on the floor without looking. He also took his shirt off and, only in boxers, closed the balcony door and turned on the AC. Louis followed his form with his eyes wide, admiring while partially hiding his cheeks so the blush wouldn’t show much.

            The room was clear, early morning light coming from the glass of the balcony door behind the curtains. Harry turned back to bed and Louis looked lustfully at him from under the duvet, lower lip between his teeth. He looked amazing. Harry, unashamedly, strode to him, showing all of his body to his promised – his black underwear was a bit on the tight side and it didn’t leave much to the imagination. However the lust present in their interaction, they knew nothing would entail. Still, that didn’t stop them from looking their fill.

            Harry lay down and covered himself with the cool duvet, sighing as his head hit the pillow. They _were_ rather tired, because traveling to a different continent was never easy, no matter how comfortable was the plane (and theirs wasn’t very much), so a nap was a very good idea indeed. They lay on their side, looking to each other, a small space between their bodies. Louis looked down, his eyes locked on Harry’s butterfly.

“It’s beautiful, Haz.” He whispered, but held in check his desire to touch. “More beautiful than I remembered, bigger than I thought.” Harry smirked at him.

“You’re talking about my tattoo, right? Just checking.” He laughed at Louis’s indignant face. “You can touch me, Lou. If you want.” He added, tone more settled, quietly.

            Louis took a deep breath and reached out. His fingertips were light and soft against Harry’s stomach, which only made him feel butterflies doing loops under his tattoo. While Louis looked distracted by his perusing, Harry approached a bit, making the space between them smaller, and touched Louis’s hair and neck, caressing, feeling the softness and scenting his skin – his eyes closed without him telling them to and he took a deep breath, mesmerized, elated to be where he was. Louis looked at his face and smiled, getting a bit closer himself, feeling safe and happy and warm. His hand, from outlining Harry’s tattoo, grabbed his promised’s waist. To be there lying down, feeling Harry’s naked skin and smelling his familiar-but-new scent was the best place he could imagine himself in.

            Harry’s thumb caressed his neck where he knew the bond mark would be when they got to it, but then he slid his hand down his arm and back, making goosebumps appear all over Louis’s skin. They sighed together, holding each other, alone in a hotel room in Cancun, with love pouring out of their skins and scents. They slept through the morning.

-

            Their first day in Cancun was very relaxing – they napped until lunch time, then ordered food from the hotel to eat in their rooms, unpacked their suitcases (both Louis and Harry noticed how right it felt to see their clothes together in the same wardrobe, but neither commented), and spent mid-afternoon and evening on the hotel pool, swimming around and talking quietly while sunbathing. At the end of the day, they walked hand in hand through the hotel’s entertainment areas – the gym, the games room, the courts and the spa. They had dinner in a cozy and romantic restaurant in there and went back to their room, feeling wonderfully drowsy from their day.

            They slept holding each other close together, speculating how much love their hearts could take before exploding.

-

            When Harry woke up the next morning, he was spooning Louis. He was holding his boy’s waist tight against his pelvis, and that did nothing to help his morning wood go down – it had quite the opposite result, actually. Harry breathed hard through his nose to control himself not to grind against Louis’s amazing butt and wake him up by being completely inappropriate. He could feel his boy’s even and calm breathing against his own chest. Slowly, Harry disentangled his arms and, with a swift sniff and kiss to his promised’s neck, he got up and went to the bathroom.

            Under the warm water, Harry couldn’t deny himself the satisfaction of a wank with actual physical memories from Louis – not only the idea of his promised’s body, which was all he had had two days before, but the sensory memory of his skin, his hips, his lips and scent. Everything about his boy turned him on and seduced him. He jerked off fast and silently, not wanting to be overheard – then he half dried himself, wrapped a towel around his waist and went after some clothes to put on.

            Harry was quietly shuffling through his clothes when he heard Louis – his breath hitched and he gasped softly. When Harry turned around to look at him, his boy was observing him with wide lustful eyes, his breath was coming fast and his cheeks were flaming red. When Harry moved in his direction, Louis pressed his legs together under the duvet – and that made Harry smirk.

“Good morning, love.” He said, voice a bit rough in the morning, and he walked to the end of the bed slowly, giving up on getting dressed just yet. “How did you sleep?”

            Louis didn’t answer, looking down, embarrassed because of his own traitor body. Harry put one knee on top of the bedding, spreading his legs a bit, towel loose on his waist.

“I slept really well, holding you.” He commented, quietly. He put both his hands on the bed, ready to climb on. “Then I had a lovely wank in the shower thinking of you.” He said conversationally, as if he was talking about the weather. Louis whimpered and his hand fisted holding on the duvet, but he still didn’t answer, wanting but feeling too shy to say it. Harry saw right through it. “Love…” He rasped while he finally climbed on the bed and crawled closer to Louis. “Do you want me to help you? I’d love to do it.” He only stopped when he was on top of Louis, hands and knees holding him above his promised, who was holding still but shivering. He leaned his head to touch Louis’s face with his lips – his skin was hot. “I want to jerk you off, Louis.” He whispered, making Louis squirm under him. “I wanna make you come. Can I? Will you let me?” He stopped moving then, waiting for Louis’s permission. His boy finally looked up, to his face, and nodded. He looked extremely shy, but also unbearably turned on. Harry smiled at him.

            Harry kissed his boy full on the lips, not minding morning breath in the slightest, and invaded Louis’s mouth with his tongue heatedly, which had Louis moaning from the first touch. Louis’s hands went to Harry’s naked shoulders, the AC making his skin cool, and he held tight. Harry explored his mouth as if he was claiming it, every move pleasant, every stroke heated.

            When he moved away, he pulled and threw the white duvet away from them, exposing Louis’s body – his tank top askew and his boxer tight against his erection. He mewled when the cold air hit his hot skin, and he arched a little bit, unconsciously. Harry looked at him from above and bit his own lips, arousal coming fast to him – his towel wouldn’t stay long around his waist. Harry then, after looking his fill, laid his body on top of Louis, covering his boy with his body and pressing their pelvis together. Louis gasped, eyes pressed closed. Harry buried his face on Louis’s neck and kissed him there.

“Baby boy,” he said. “What do you want?” He licked and then blew the sensitive skin of his omega’s neck while grinding their groins together. He groaned. “Do you want my hand? My mouth? I’ll give you everything.” Louis breathed long and deep and then rasped his first words that morning:

“ _Harry_ … I want _you_ ,” He arched against Harry’s body, his hands locking against Harry’s neck.

“I’m already yours, silly.” Harry teased, kissing the extension of Louis’s neck and jaw. He kitten-licked behind his ear and pressed their groins together at the same time. His hands grabbed Louis’s waist with a death grip. “I love you, omega.”

            The call of his nature made Louis moan out loud for the first time, giving in to the hot feeling in his veins. Their cocks pressed together and he gasped, arching, placing his feet flat on the bed. Harry smiled before kissing him again, wet and sensuous. At the same time, Harry lowered his hands and grabbed the waistband of his boxer, ready to push it down. Before he could do it, he separated their lips to ask for permission, and had the satisfaction to see Louis following his mouth to keep on kissing. He brushed their lips together to say: “May I?” And Louis nodded, understanding quickly to what he was referring.

            Harry looked down when he pushed Louis’s boxer off. His cock was hard and leaking and lovely, and his mouth watered at the sight. He pulled his own towel off and separated Louis’s legs so he could lie comfortably between them; he squeezed one of Louis’s thighs while he lowered his groin to touch their lengths together. Louis moaned at the first touch and spread his legs wider, hands going to Harry’s back, nails digging on his skin. Harry gasped, supporting himself on his elbow so he could lower his right hand to grab their cocks together. The feeling was incomparable, strong and compelling – Harry never thought sex could feel like that.

“You’re so gorgeous, Lou.” He rasped, biting his omega’s collarbone. “So sexy for me.”

“A-Alpha,” Louis gasped, making Harry moan and speed his hand up. Harry sucked a bruise on Louis’s collarbone that had him writhing beneath him. “Uhh, Ha- Harry, I-“

“I’ve got you, love. I’ll take good care of you.” He promised against his lips before kissing him intensely.

            Harry jerked them together for only a few minutes – he thought he would last longer than Louis because he had already had a wank in the shower, but as soon as Louis moaned his orgasm, Harry followed. The feel of their skin, their scent, their voices and their pleasure together – it was too much. Their vision blanked and their high lasted for far longer than they had both experienced before. When they could breathe again, they fell hard on the bed, heaving, chests together, come mixing between them. Harry closed his eyes, touching his forehead to Louis’s chin.

“I’ll have to take another shower.” He rasped, and Louis sniggered from under him, covering his eyes with his forearm. Harry gently lowered his arm, kissing his skin wherever he could reach. “My beautiful boy, no need to be shy. C’mon, it’s me. Look at me.” Louis looked at him, trying to stifle a sweet little smile. “It’s only me, love.”

            Louis finally let his smile appear. “What do you mean ‘only you’? You’re everything.” He whispered, still flushed. Harry smiled big and dimply. Then he pecked Louis square on the mouth.

“I love you very much, promised.” Louis nodded, his smile crinkling his eyes. “And I think we deserve a bath, huh? What do you think?” He got up with a groan, and completely unashamed of his nakedness, walked around the room to collect his towel and a perfumed oil to put in the bath. Louis only hummed his agreement, hiding his lower region with his tank top but watching Harry’s every movement. “I’ll run the water then.”

            While Harry was in the bathroom and Louis could hear the water running, he finally got up. His legs felt like jelly and his toes and fingers were tingling – his orgasm had been unexpected and intense, and he knew it was only the very beginning of his sexual life with Harry. That truth made him shiver in anticipation and a good nervousness that filled his body with butterflies. He knew now that Harry found him beautiful and desirable, even if he himself couldn’t see it. He smiled.

            Sitting by the bed, Louis’s positive thoughts gave him courage to take his shirt off. He was completely naked in a clear room, in the middle of the morning, with Harry naked in the bathroom. That reality had been so out-of-reach for so long; it sounded so very mature for his 14-year-old self to be living that it felt like a dream of the future, a fantasy just like many he had cultivated in the past. However, as soon as he thought that, he noticed that Harry was singing softly while he peed with the door open, and that made him chuckle. In his fantasies, he could never make it believable enough, never real enough to be really pleasurable. Now, he had it all – everything, every little aspect that made his reality pure pleasure.

            He sighed dreamily while he wiped the come from his tummy with his tank top. He decided to choose an outfit for the day before getting in the bath and bravely fought the need to put clothes on. He wanted to be comfortable with Harry, at ease with his body, and accept himself because he knew he was loved the exact way he was. He was choosing Harry’s outfit when he was embraced from behind, held tight against the firm body of his promised. Instead of being startled, he melted against Harry, as if his body knew he meant ‘safe’ and ‘home’.

“You look so fuckin’ good naked,” Harry said quietly on his ear. Louis let out a breath. “I wanna keep you that way forever.”

“T-That’d be immoral, Haz…”

“It’d be heaven, baby boy. And I’d be the happiest man alive.” Louis chuckled, turning his face to Harry to be kissed. Harry didn’t take one second to comply – he held Louis’s waist against his chest with one hand and the other he held his face up to ravish his mouth with his tongue. They were both panting by the time they separated their lips.

“W-We have a b-bath?” Louis reminded Harry, who groaned but nodded. He took his hand and guided him to the bathroom. The bath had bubbles and smelt really amazing, because Harry knew his way through oils and bath bombs – which he knew was useful knowledge.

            Harry didn’t wait much to go into the bath and relax against the edge. He then looked at Louis and smiled, holding his arms open. His boy climbed in a bit awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed and where to sit, but Harry helped him by holding his waist down on his lap, sitting him with his back against his chest. Louis let out a deep breath as soon as he relaxed on top of Harry’s body.

            Harry stayed silent for a bit, but Louis could feel his gaze on his skin. “What you lookin’ at?” He teased, without looking back to check if Harry was really doing it.

“I was looking at your neck,” He admitted. “Where my mark will be.” He pressed it with his fingertip, then scratched at it lightly with his trimmed nail. Louis fidgeted a bit. “It’ll be the most beautiful thing ever!”

“Not ever,” Louis chuckled. “We’ll make more beautiful things later.” He looked coyly to his own tummy, dreams of the future playing themselves behind his eyes. “Like babies.” He whispered, and Harry could almost feel himself melting from the inside out.

“Yes, love.” He agreed, caressing Louis’s skin tenderly. “You’re completely right.” He leaned and kissed Louis on the cheek, and then bit his skin playfully, making him jump and laugh.

            They played a bit, then actually cleaned themselves, relaxed a bit and finally left the bath. They spent the day on the beach, swimming in the crystal clear ocean, splashing around, chasing each other and being complete children on the water.  Harry kept a careful eye all around, making sure at all times that Louis was safe and happy – but nothing went wrong and everything was fun and beautiful. They cuddled to sleep watching Harry Potter together.

 


	12. Lust and Adjust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, guys! I graduated \o/ Just had the best week ever, so have some smut and feelings.

            The next morning found them sunbathing in the hotel pool. They were eating some snacks and drinking fizzy water with lemons while talking about nothing in particular. Harry was wearing tiny yellow shorts, sunglasses and a snapback to keep his hair out of his face, while Louis only had blue shorts and black aviators on. They had been lying on their tummies for about 20 minutes when Louis decided to go for a dive when he felt his skin too hot.

            Harry turned and sat to observe Louis swim and twirl around in the water, making faces to him from afar and making him smile like an idiot. His boy signed to the other side of the pool before diving, and Harry sighed, feeling like the world was his. Then, an omega waiter came up to him and covered the sun. When he looked, the man had a colorful drink on a tray and a big smile on his handsome face.

“Hiiii, are you happy and comfortable? We don’t accept anything other than happy and comfortable here!” He teased, making Harry chuckle. He reckoned the waiter had noticed him speaking English before, because he didn’t even try to speak Spanish first. “And maybe a bit drunk!” He added.

“I’m happy and comfortable yeah, thank you,” Harry answered, pleasantly. “But not drunk, no.” He looked at Louis for a second and verified he was still ok and swimming. He turned back to the waiter making conversation.

“Well, we have to correct that! Take this one. Did it myself.” He offered the drink.

“Oh, no, thank you ve-” The man pleaded before Harry could finish his refusal.

“C’mon, it’s just a bit of vodka with cranberry juice and lemon. More juice than anything.”

“I’m not drinking…”

“What is a gorgeous alpha like you doing not drinking on vacation in Cancun?”

“Uhh…” He fidgeted, feeling awkward. He wasn’t used to omegas being so forward. He shrugged. “I’m- ahn…”

“See, you don’t have an excuse! It’s on me, alright? My name’s Pedro.”

“Pedro-“

            Before Harry could refuse again, Louis suddenly threw himself at him, sitting on his lap without a warning, getting water all over his sun-warmed body. He spluttered a bit, his hands automatically going to Louis’s waist to hold him in place. Louis didn’t look at Harry, but glared at the waiter.

“Hi Pedro, could you get me an iced soda, please? Thank you very much.” He said fake-smiling, and then he snuggled back on Harry’s chest, laying his head on his neck. He even laced their fingers together and turned his head to kiss Harry’s jaw. The waiter looked awkward for a while, started to say something, but gave up and just nodded, going to the bar to get what he was asked.

            Harry sniggered quietly on Louis’s ear, holding him closer to his body. “That was a bit cruel, baby boy.” Louis huffed in annoyance. Harry buried his face on his wet neck. “But to tell you the truth, I quite like jealous you, it’s sexy as hell.” He nibbled at his skin, making small marks appear and tightened his hold on his tummy. Louis still said nothing, feeling a bit vexed. Harry smiled against his neck, enjoying Louis’s reaction probably more than he should. Then, he opened his mouth and sucked the skin hard. Louis yelped.

“Harry!” He exclaimed, feeling hotter than he would like, since he was in small shorts in a public pool. His promised only laughed, licking the bruise he had caused along with the droplets of pool water. Louis bit his lips not to moan, but as he was still feeling vindictive (and horny) he decided to ignore his shyness for a bit and be bold.

            Louis looked to the bar and when he saw Pedro coming back with the soda he had asked he started to squirm on Harry’s lap, like he wanted to escape his hold but then changed his mind, only to do it all over again. He could feel Harry’s cock twitching and growing hard under his butt. A particular jerk on his part made Harry groan and hide his face on his back just as Pedro came close enough to hear. Louis smiled sweetly at him and reached for his drink.

“Thank you!” He said in a sing-song voice. Harry didn’t look up. Louis sipped his soda calmly, feeling a lot better while he looked at the fast retreating form of the waiter. To have a horny Harry squirming under him was not a small prize as well.

“You’re a little devil,” Harry rasped and Louis laughed out loud.

“Do you wanna go inside for a bit?” He asked quietly, feeling a lot more confident now that he could feel (quite literally under his ass) the effect he had on Harry. It was making wonders to his self-esteem. Harry said a breathless ‘yea, please’ and got up, almost knocking him down in the process, but grabbing his hand and practically running to the lifts. Louis left his entire soda on the chair.

            When Harry opened their hotel room, he pulled Louis and pressed him against the closed door, attacking his mouth immediately. Louis, caught off guard, let a loud moan when his promised pushed their groins together; he could feel Harry’s dick hard and leaking against his. Their kiss was messy and wet and sexy, and Harry’s hand went to his nipples, that were hard, and squeezed them between his fingers and Louis wailed. The myriad of feelings was so great he didn’t know what to do first.

            Harry threw their sunglasses and his snapback on the floor without even a look. Before Louis could do or say anything, Harry grabbed his thighs and raised him from the ground, making him yelp and hold tight around his neck. Harry passed his ministrations to his neck, where he sucked another bruise, and at the same time, walked across the room to throw them in the bed.

“H-Haz, I- I’m wet, the bed-” Harry growled, making it clear how little he cared about that. At the sound, Louis’s nature came forth in a light-second and he felt mollified, giving himself to his alpha, submissive and willing. He mewled, satisfied with the attention Harry was giving him – the kissing, love biting, nipple playing, grinding their cocks together, hands intertwined – every movement Harry made gave him the assurance he was loved, sexy and desired. He moaned loudly.

            Harry let his hand wander down and he cupped Louis’s cock through his shorts, which was a jolt of pleasure that Louis was not expecting at all, making him keen and arch almost unconsciously. Harry pressed his palm up and down his length and Louis cried out, skin tingling, eyes closed so tight he was seeing color behind his lids. Harry slowly slid down his body, licking his nipples and sucking them into his mouth, making him writhe in pleasure. He left kisses and bites and all over his chest and tummy, and when he got to the waistband of his shorts, Louis was breathless and so hard he was dizzy.

            Harry smiled at the state he could leave Louis with just a few movements. That made him want to test so many different tricks, but he reckoned they’d have their entire lives to try everything they wanted. Smirking, Harry mouthed at Louis’s cock, feeling it twitch and jump against his hot mouth.

“ _Alpha!_ ” His omega wailed, arching, seeking more, and Harry growled and in one fast jerk, he grabbed Louis’s shorts and pulled them down and off. Harry looked at his hard, leaking cock and his mouth watered. He pressed Louis’s waist down on the bed roughly and with no warning, took just the head of his dick on his mouth. “Fuck!” Louis howled, writhing, having never felt that kind of intense pleasure before.

            Feeling proud, Harry traced his tongue against Louis’s pre-come and shaft and moaned when his boy couldn’t help but thrust a bit on his mouth. He squeezed his thighs and felt on his fingertips the aftershocks running through his promised’s skin. He slid further down and sucked hard, bobbing his head, tongue following the vein on Louis’s cock, listening to his boy’s whimpers and moans and groans. Harry could feel Louis’s hands reaching to touch his back and his hair, indecisive if they wanted to grab, to scratch or pull. Louis was responsive in an unconscious way and that pleased Harry to no end – his boy was vocal without realizing, moving without his control and shivering all over. Harry himself was feeling dizzy from pleasure, his cock harder than he could ever remember it being.

            He sucked in an erratic rhythm, too excited to be able to create a true pattern, his mouth tight against Louis’s skin, swallowing around him, relishing on his nonsense words and half-choked sounds. When Louis came with a shout, it had no recognizable warning to it, but Harry was able to just keep on swallowing, bobbing his head until he had milked everything Louis had to give him. He only took his mouth off Louis when his boy mewled in discomfort – he then laid his head on his promised’s hip and looked up, enjoying how Louis was heaving and how he looked absolutely defiled. His hair was all over the place, his eyes wild and his lips bitten red. His skin was covered with red and purple marks.

            Harry smiled at him and took his own shorts off. He lowered his hand to his own erection slowly. At his first touch, he closed his eyes and let his mouth slack open, feeling on the edge and sensitive, being so close to his baby boy, scenting Louis’s skin and come and warmth. He hid his face on Louis’s lower belly, nibbling the sweaty skin, but before he could do much for himself, his promised’s hands reached out and touched his hair and shoulders, catching his attention again.

“I- I wanna jerk you off,” He whispered, still shaken, still a mess. Harry moaned, kissing his hip in adoration. Then, he shimmied up to lay down closer to Louis. His boy turned his body to rest almost on top of Harry and then, looking down, he reached to touch his cock for the first time. They moaned together at the first touch.

“Y-You’re- uh, Louis-” Louis was still deep in his omega mindset, floating weightless deep in his nature, feeling loved, pleased and satisfied; it was not yet a drop – in which he would find himself useless to do anything but enjoy the high, but it was close enough. He wanted to reward his alpha for making him come so hard, but he also wanted to make him come just as hard to prove to himself he could please.

            Louis wanked him carefully at first, his small hand touching tentatively to get to know the feeling of Harry’s cock in his hand, and slowly he started to build up a rhythm. He was looking at his own hand curiously, as if locking the sight on his memory – he was learning the weight, the girth, the feel of Harry’s cock and he looked patient and dedicate to learn the best way to assure Harry’s pleasure. Also, he was wondering about penetrative sex.

            Louis hid his rosy face on the side of Harry’s face and licked the arch of his ear, deciding to voice his thoughts to his promised. He whispered on his ear while he squeezed and moved his hand up and down, up and down.

“I love your cock, H. So big- so big for me. I hope it’ll fit in- in me,” He was too far gone with the aftershocks of his own pleasure and with pleasuring his promised that he simply forgot to be shy. Harry was panting. “I love how- how you feel thick in my hand, how hot you will be inside my body, filling me-” Before he could finish his sentence, Harry was moaning his orgasm, the most intense he had ever had, simply because it was brought on by his promised.

            They were left heaving together, almost lunchtime, sticky come covering their naked bodies. Harry looked at Louis’s face, adoringly, mesmerized by his beautiful boy.

“You little devil,” He rasped, voice completely destroyed. Louis smirked at him, and didn’t defend himself. Instead, he buried himself on Harry’s side, throwing one leg over his and resting his hand on top of his butterfly, messing the come shot there, claiming it to himself. He snuggled his face on his neck quietly and closed his eyes. Harry chuckled, snuggling right back. “You beautiful, gorgeous boy.” He shook his head, disbelieved. Then, he closed his eyes as well. A nap was a very good idea now.

-

            They spent the afternoon shopping for souvenirs and small trinkets that they didn’t need but thought they were a nice way to remember their trip later. The evening they spent swimming in the unbelievably warm ocean, feeling happy and carefree, light and floaty. They came back to the hotel room terribly hungry and tired. After a sandwich and a fast shower together, they slept on top of the blankets listening to the ocean with the balcony door open.

-

            The fourth day saw them trying to play tennis on the court (Louis was almost getting the hang of it) and relaxing on the spa (Louis definitely got the hang of that). They played games and talked to some other guests, mostly old people who wanted to compliment them on their ‘young love’. They walked on the beach to see the sunset holding hands and had melty ice creams that left them sticky.

            In the evening, right after they had dinner on their room, Harry received a FaceTime call from Jay. He quickly put on a tank top and told Louis to do the same before answering it. To his surprise, he could see just about a million people on the other side.

“Hey Harry!” Jay greeted him, but before he could answer, all of Louis’s sisters plus his own sister and mother were saying ‘Hi’ and ‘Hello’ and ‘Hey’ for him. It was really sweet. He smiled.

“Hey everyone!” He said excited, waving. He leaned his phone on a vase on the table on the balcony and sat in front of it so he wouldn’t have to hold it. “How are you?”

“How are us? Who cares! How are you?” Gemma remarked loudly, making him laugh.

“But we’re ok, darling, thanks for asking.” His mom said.

“Where’s Louis?” Jay asked at the same time Fizzy said “I don’t see boo!”

“He’s coming, we were just having dinner-”

“Dinner?! But it’s lunchtime!” Lottie screamed from somewhere below their screen. Harry supposed they were on a laptop at Jay’s house, since he didn’t recognize the room behind everyone.

“It’s later there, sweetie.” Gemma told Lottie with more patience than Harry had ever seen her have.

“How?” Harry saw everyone shrug, because it was just too hard to explain. He chuckled.

“Here’s almost 7 p.m. Lottie, and it’s still pretty clear. Cancun’s weather’s amazing, guys. We haven’t seen a drop of rain yet.”

“And we won’t see!” Louis called from inside the room, finally appearing from behind him and dropping himself on Harry’s lap like instinct. He waved to the screen. “Hi girls!”

“Louis!” Fizzy screamed, followed by Lottie’s “Lou!” and the twins “Boo! Boo!”, all of them trying to fit in the screen to see their brother. He laughed, and Harry hugged his waist to his chest, fitting his chin on top of his shoulder.

“Boo, where? Where you?” Daisy asked, pouting. He smiled sweetly at her.

“Remember Harry, Daisy? I’m with Harry.”

“Where Haz? Haz too,” Phoebe made her input, which made Harry’s heart melt.

“I’m here, baby, we’re together. We’re on vacation.” Harry answered her, and the twins pouted identically.

“Come back!” They whined. Fizzy nodded in agreement, and Lottie and Gemma (who was just a sassy 21-year-old woman) joined the pleading until both Jay and Anne said it was enough and asked them to behave. Harry and Louis laughed, assuring their sisters they’d soon come back. Not yet, but soon. The younger girls were told to say goodbye and they did grudgingly. When only Gemma, Anne and Jay were in front of the computer, Harry’s sister was the one to make an unbecoming comment.

“So…” She started, and Harry immediately frowned. “I see many love bites and a lot more ease and less coyness-”

“Shut it, Gemma!” Harry called, and Louis turned deep red in a matter of two seconds. The women laughed, but Louis still looked worryingly at his mom, then down, only to realize he was sitting on Harry’s lap and get even redder. He fidgeted, but Harry hugged him in place. “Don’t embarrass my promised, c’mon. You’re all very mean women.”

“Oh darling, it’s ok. You’re promised, we’re not surprised.” Anne said, good humored. At that, Louis scrunched his face and turned to hide on Harry’s neck, which might not have been the best idea, given that they laughed louder.

“Still none of your business.” Harry bit out, defensive, hugging Louis’s back and pressing his face to Louis’s. He could feel how tense his boy was.

“Lou,” His mom called and waited until he looked up. “Are you alright? Are you comfortable?” She questioned sincerely, and Harry stayed quiet, respecting Jay for asking in front of him, unafraid. Louis nodded immediately. “I trust you, Lou. And I trust Harry.” She placated him. “So, just be happy, love. Do whatever feels right for you two.” She smiled at them. Louis nodded again and smiled softly back at her, and then he looked up to smile at Harry as well, lovingly.

“See?” Harry butted in, looking at his own family. “Why can’t you be like Jay? You terrible women.” Anne and Gemma laughed together, hugging Jay from each side.

“Jay is an angel, but you need to have a hard time sometimes to build up character, little brother.” Louis sniggered as Harry shook his head, unbelieving. Harry then kissed his promised’s cheek just because, making Louis’s smile grow.

“You’re adorable.” Gemma said, and it strangely didn’t sound like sarcasm. Louis thanked her coyly and they dropped the subject. They talked about their favorite things in the trip so far and why they were all together at Jay’s house, their plans to the next days and some other amenities. When they said goodbye, it was almost 9 p.m. and the boys were tired and still a bit ice-cream sticky. That’s why they decided to take another bath together.

-

“This is really good, H.”

“Hmm,” Harry closed his eyes, resting his head on the edge of the bath and holding Louis’s waist with both arms.

“It feels really good to be here,” Louis whispered, his hands playing with the bubbles in front of him, his breath even and his muscles relaxed. Harry moved his hands to massage his boy’s back. Louis moaned quietly. “I wish- we- hm, could have this. Ya know? Forever.“

            Harry opened his eyes.

“Me too, baby. I know.” Harry said, thoughtful. He kept massaging his back with careful fingers, thinking over an old plan of his. Louis noticed the change on his mood.

“What is it, love?” He asked softly, sensing Harry needed a few breaths to say what was on his mind. Harry stayed quiet for a while and then took a deep breath to steel himself to voice the idea he had been cultivating for years.

“Lou, I’ve always thought…” He hesitated, so Louis stopped moving as well.

“Yes?”

“I- I understand if you say no, and I want you to know that’s always an option, but- I…” He was feeling uncharacteristically nervous and his hold on his boy loosened.

“I’m listening, love.” Louis lay down and snuggled against Harry’s chest, trying to pass off the same safety and coziness he felt with Harry through touch. Harry sighed.

“I want to go to uni. In London.” He spilt, and Louis stilled, heart suddenly clenching at the prospect of distance. But Harry soon continued: “And I want you to come with me, live with me. Only you and me. In London, Louis.” Louis was already nodding before Harry could finish his first sentence.

“Yes, of cours-”

“No, baby, listen. Don’t do that to me, I-“

“Do what?” He turned abruptly, spilling a little water. “I want to-“

“Louis, listen. This is so important, baby. Please, don’t break my heart- I- I want you to think about this, promised. Really think, ok? ‘Cuz if you agree now and then think better and decide not to, it’ll hurt more than if you just say no.”

“Haz, don’t- no- That’s stupid- I’m not-”

“Can- Can I- Lou, listen, let me explain, alright?” He waited for Louis to stop mumbling and actually pay attention to his words. “I’m thinking of moving to London in, like, August next year. I’ll finish Sixth Form this year, then I’ll work for a while to try and raise a little money, then I’ll go to start the semester in September next year. That’d mean you’d have to move away from your family, stop helping your mum, which I know you do so much, change schools, change cities, start Year 11 all by yourself in a big and different city, an-“

“I’ll have you, Harry.” Louis said quietly. That made Harry stop. “And that’s all I need, all I want.” He shrugged. “Stop trying to scare me-“

“That’s not scaring, it’s real-“

“Don’t care, don’t matter. You’ve got to know this,” Louis turned completely around and straddled Harry in the limited space of the bath. He put his hands on Harry’s shoulders and looked at him straight in the eyes. “I can’t take another moment of my life without you now that I know how it feels to have you close. Me mum can handle herself and the girls, she always has; school is just a place, London is just a place. Home is you, Harry. How can you question that?”

            Harry sniffed, his eyes filled up, his lips quivering a bit – he was feeling grateful and happy his plans were accepted and embraced by the most important person in his life. “You’re so perfect, Lou.”

“I’m really not.” He chuckled. “But I _am_ yours. And you’re mine, so there’s that. You’ll have to take me to London with you now, sorry.” Harry smiled, happy, mushy, soft. He hugged Louis tight, hiding his face on his neck, pressing their naked chests together. Louis hugged back, excited with the idea of truly sharing a life with his alpha. “I love you, Harry.” Louis said.

“I love you too, baby boy.”

-

            On the fifth day in Cancun, the boys went to a nightclub together after a day spent on the beach. Louis was only able to go in because they presented their kinship license card and proved he was under Harry’s responsibility. The club was dark and elegantly decorated, not too packed but not too empty; the AC was so cold it caused them chills and the music was blaring. It was playing something Mexican that neither recognized but both found electrifying. They were swaying to the song the minute they got in.

            The first thing they did was to go to the bar. Harry bought two margaritas and gave one to Louis, even though he wasn’t legal yet, keeping one eye on him, making sure he was drinking slowly and that he had his drink at all times with him. It was the very first drink Louis had had other than sipping his mom’s champagne on Christmas dinner, and it made him feel buzzed in just a few minutes. Harry wanted his promised to get to know those kinds of things under his watch and as responsibly as he was able to make it, but still have fun while doing it.

“Do you like it?” Harry shouted on Louis’s ear, trying to make himself heard over the music. Louis nodded.

“It’s sweeter than I thought.” Harry smiled at him.

“It’s better than beer.” He stated, “but also stronger, so be careful.” Louis nodded again, already smiling larger than usual. That amount of vodka was something completely new for him. “You’ll feel a bit dizzy, love, so hold on me, alright?” Harry leaned closer and Louis didn’t wait for the dizziness to come, but took the change to enlace Harry’s neck with his arm and bring their bodies together.

            They swayed with the song and ignored all the other people in there until their drinks were empty. Harry thought just one was the best decision for the first night, so they were feeling tipsy but not drunk, happy but not sleepy.

“I wanna dance!” Louis declared, “With you!” He thought it necessary to add. Harry nodded excitedly and led him to the dancefloor where many moving bodies were already sweaty and jumpy.

            They threw themselves in the mass of dancing people and moved with zero coordination without a care in the world. They grabbed at each other, they jumped, twirled and swayed with no rhythm but with a lot of excitement. It lasted for more hours than they could keep track of, and by 3 o’clock in the morning, they were sweaty and overjoyed, hearts beating fast and muscles cramping from too much exercise.

            They met a lot of young people and behaved like they had been friends for years even though they couldn’t remember each other’s names – they danced together, laughed and jumped in the middle of the dancefloor and it was terribly fun. At 4 a.m., Louis tripped and almost fell, but Harry held him by the waist before he could drop to the floor, and that made him decide it was maybe time to go back.

“Time to go, Lou.” He whispered on his promised’s ear, kissing his temple right after his words. Louis thought about refusing, but when he looked at Harry’s resolute face he chose not to. Instead, he nodded, and hugged every one of their new friends goodbye. Harry waved.

            They got a taxi to the hotel and tripped the way to their room. Louis threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes, ready to sleep, and Harry didn’t have the heart to stop him. So he took Louis’s sneakers and jeans off, did the same to himself, and they slept, still sweaty and smelly, but blissful.

-

            Louis wasn’t feeling too good in the morning, but it wasn’t really a hangover, just the combination of a bit to drink, plus loud music and a lot of dancing that left him tired and queasy. Harry decided a shower would do very good for both of them.

“C’mon, love. I’ll wash your hair,” He bargained trying to make Louis leave the bed. His boy moaned a bit more, but got up. Harry undressed him tenderly, kissing his collarbones and forehead and chest as he went along. Louis smiled, awfully pleased at being pampered.

“Thanks, Haz.” Harry shrugged, guiding him to the bathroom.

“Sorry,” He whispered. “I feel responsible, you know, and I knew that it could happen… I mean, that it’d probably happen.”

“Shh, don’t be.” Louis smiled at him, holding his hand tighter. “I needed to start somewhere, huh? I’m lucky to have you to take care of me.” Harry sighed, not really convinced. He didn’t say anything else as he undressed and got them both under the warm water.

            Harry used the soft sponge to slide on Louis’s body, more caressing than scrubbing while keeping his boy close to his body so they could stand under the water spray together. He could see Louis’s cock twitching in interest, but didn’t do anything about it just yet. He also washed his hair massaging his scalp calmly, with no hurry whatsoever, enjoying their proximity. Louis kept his soapy hands wandering through Harry’s chest, back, shoulders and legs, preoccupied in knowing every detail of his alpha’s body while cleaning his sweat off at the same time. They were quiet and focused, deep in their bubble. Louis forgot all about his queasiness and Harry made up for his guilt in love and adoration.

            After their shower, they dried each other only to slide under the cool duvet naked. The AC was on and cold. They lay down on their sides, close together, faces almost touching and gazes connected. Louis reached out first and didn’t even notice that a few days before he would never had, and touched Harry’s hip, bringing their lower bodies closer. Harry’s hands went to his neck, caressing with his thumb what was becoming a favorite spot. They leaned forward and linked their lips, quietly, slowly, kissing deeply and intensely. It had both their hearts speeding up in a delicious rhythm.

            Harry panted against Louis’s mouth and slowly slid down his body, licking his nipples in his mouth, listening to Louis’s gasps and intakes of breath to know what he liked and how he enjoyed being pleasured. Louis’s hands went to his hair, fingers stroking and caressing between his locks. Harry’s fingertips brushed his skin and found erogenous zones that had Louis shivering. Louis mewled and signed to Harry to come back up and kiss him. He used the sensuous kiss to build his courage to whisper his thoughts against Harry’s lips.

“Promised,” He called quietly, opening his eyes. “Can I suck you?” Harry took a deep breath, suddenly dizzy, and nodded. He kissed Louis again, but his boy pushed him to lie on his back before he could deepen the kiss. Louis supported himself with his elbow to look at Harry from above and speak, expression serious and focused. “Teach me, alright? I wanna do good.” Harry sighed, closing his eyes, and nodded.

            Louis slid down his body, pushing the duvet until it was only on him and Harry’s legs; Harry shivered at the exposal of his skin to the AC. Louis, then, crouched in front of Harry’s cock, touching it with his hand first to jerk it and get used to the length – he wasn’t feeling shy, just tentative. He looked up and Harry nodded his permission, and Louis licked his shaft with small kitten licks. Harry trembled, biting his lips. He let Louis taste his skin and his pre-come before directing him.

“Start- uh, putting your mouth on the h-head. Slow, so you won’t choke.” Louis listened and obeyed slowly, licking and tasting patiently, getting to know Harry’s cock. “Suck aroun- ahh- around it, yea. You’re doing so good, baby.” He couldn’t close his mouth, eyes shut tight and concentration completely on the feeling of Louis’s lovely mouth on his cock. “Y-you can, hm, go- go deeper. But not too much, don’t choke.” Louis didn’t, apparently knowing instinctively what he was able to take. He started bobbing his head without needing directions. The only sounds in the room were Louis’s wet sucking and Harry’s breathless gasps – far away they could hear the ocean. They were calm and on edge. They felt like the beating of their hearts was loud on their ears.

            Louis sucked deeper and deeper, eyes closed, one hand holding the base of Harry’s cock to keep it in place, the other caressing his balls. He was able to create a steady rhythm that took only a few minutes to make Harry writhe, experiencing a deep pleasure from within that he felt like it was coming from his very self – it was profound and intense. It got him shaking and his eyes spilt without him noticing. He pulled Louis off with one hand and came on the other, not to spill on his promised. He was left feeling bottomless, heaving, shaking on top of the bed.

            His promised slowly climbed up to look at his face, and he wiped the tears he found on Harry’s face unbothered. He smiled softly at his alpha. “I did good?” He rasped almost innocently, but Harry knew he was well aware of how good he had been. Harry chuckled.

“You did, yeah.” He answered anyway, feeling proud and happy. “You’re amazing, love.” Louis smiled proudly but then pouted.

“I’m hard, Haz. Sucking you is really good.” He confessed, nosing his face. “Take care of me, Alpha.” He mewled and Harry groaned quietly.

“I wanna do something different too, can I?” Louis nodded the same instant, completely trusting. Harry nodded as well, taking a deep breath and ordering his members to move. He pecked Louis on the lips before asking. “Can you lie down on your tummy, baby boy? Please.” Louis obeyed and Harry kissed his shoulder and back tenderly. Then, he grabbed his waist and pulled it up until Louis kneeled on the bed.

            Harry kissed a trail on Louis’s spine until he was on his tailbone. “I’m gonna lick you now, baby.” He warned, and did just that. At the first touch of his tongue on Louis’s hole, the boy let out a deep moan that filled the room more forcefully than they expected. That only encouraged Harry to move his tongue – he lapped, sucked and breached him with only the tip, and it had Louis almost screaming in pleasure, hands shaking, grabbing the sheets until his knuckles were white; his knees were jelly, his feet tingling, his ribcage expanding, his throat dry. He almost couldn’t take the multitude of sensations Harry was causing on him. When he came, untouched, it was so overpowering, so crushing, he fell to the bed feeling spasms all over his skin, shocks making him feel out of his own body.

            Harry scooped him and tucked him on his chest, entwining their legs, hiding his face on his neck and holding his back with both arms, locking him close. It took Louis more than fifteen minutes to stop shaking. He didn’t notice he was also weeping.

            They realized then how strong and powerful was their connection. How it ran deep into their souls and how their very natures were intertwined. Harry took consciousness that he was nothing without his omega – he was only himself, he was only an _Alpha_ because of Louis. Louis, slowly feeling his body normalize while being held on Harry’s arms, knew no one in the planet would be able to affect him in such a way, no one had him like Harry had. He would do anything and everything for his alpha just as Harry would do for him. It was unconditional.

“Lou?” Harry rasped, still squeezing Louis’s body against his. Louis hummed to say he was listening – he had stopped crying, his breathing was almost normal. “I love you, my gorgeous mate.”

“I love you too, alpha.” He whispered back.

            They spent most of their day lying in bed, watching movies and snuggling together under the duvet. They only left the room for dinner and, after sharing a romantic meal, they went back to enjoy their last moments of complete privacy and intimacy.


	13. Punch to Tone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter could be triggering. It contains non-con elements, but they're unfulfilled.

            When Louis woke up the next day, he pouted. It was February 8th, which meant they had a flight to get on by mid-afternoon and their little bubble would burst. He supported himself on his elbow to look at Harry’s sleeping face and sighed – this week had been an amazing learning experience on himself, on his promised and on their relationship.

            Louis had had many firsts and was grateful that all of them had been a pleasant experience with Harry; he had overcome his own awkwardness around his promised, he had permitted himself to feel sexy and confident, and he had enjoyed every little moment of intimacy and closeness, that he knew would be less frequent or less private once they went back to the UK (he knew he could kiss their lovely routine of getting-off-once-or-more-a-day goodbye). Honestly, Louis wanted to go from Cancun straight to London to lead a life with his promised.

            Louis got up after laying a kiss on Harry’s cheek and quietly started to pack. He chose an outfit for himself and one for Harry, and packed both their suitcases in the most effective way he knew how; he liked the activity even though it reminded him of the end of their trip, because it felt domestic and it felt like he was taking care of Harry instead of the opposite. Besides, he wanted to please his alpha. He reckoned that was what they would always do – please and take care of each other, even if in different ways. It was an exchange that felt fair and satisfying: Harry gave him love and safety and orgasms, and Louis gave Harry love and comfort and orgasms. It was all good.

            When Harry woke up, Louis saw him feeling the bed looking for him and frowning when he didn’t find anything. That made him smile. Harry’s eyes opened wide and alert in a second as soon as his brain processed the lack of promised on his bed and he looked around wildly, and Louis waved at him from the end of the bed, amused.

“Good morning, promised.” He greeted, crouching to finish zipping Harry’s suitcase. He got up when his only answer was a whine.

“Louuu,” Harry buried his face on his pillow. “Why are you up?!” Louis giggled, putting both their suitcases lined on the wall, ready to go. “Come back to beeeed!”

“Wow, you’re whiny today…”

“Not whiny, needy.” He mumbled, and Louis understood.

“You’re just horny.”

“Well, that too. _And_ it’s our last day to live together alone… And to pretend this fancy room is our house and the beach is our backyard.” He pointed, sitting on the bed and putting his pillow up behind his back. His hair was a beautiful mess. “So, come here, huh?” He opened his arms in invitation, smirking. “Pretend you’re my husband for just a few more hours.”

“I don’t see it as pretending,” Louis argued, but crawled on the bed anyways. “I see it as training. How’s that?” He straddled Harry, sitting hard on his morning wood and smiling at his choked-up moan.

“That’s- Even better, baby.” He gasped out, and Louis smiled sweetly at him while passing his fingers through his messy locks, putting them back in place. Harry preened at the caress, closing his eyes. “I love you.” He said, quietly. “Good morning.”

“A very good morning, husband-in-training. How are you feeling on this beautiful morning?” He changed his voice to make it sound posher, and Harry chuckled, opening his shiny eyes.

“I’m feeling quite well, beloved. Some grinding would make it even more delightful, you see.”

“Oh! You ruined it!” Louis laughed, but started to move his hips back and forth anyway, his hands holding tight on Harry’s hair, dick taking interest on their activities. Harry bit his own lip instead of answering, looking up at Louis’s face and admiring his gorgeous promised. Harry’s hands rested on Louis’s hips to help his movements, guiding him in speed and force, and Louis could feel Harry’s big cock twitching under his clenching hole – it made him think of something. “Haz,” He started, conversationally. “When do you think I’ll start producing slick?”

            Harry’s loud moan and the way he threw his head on Louis’s shoulder took him by surprise. Only after this reaction he thought that could be a special topic for his alpha. He giggled a bit, feeling naughty.

“Does my slick do it for you, huh? I’ll leak on my pants whenever you get me hot. I just know how inconvenient you’ll make it for me.” He teased, and Harry started to thrust lightly against his wriggling butt, which Louis considered a very interesting development and full on enjoyed as well. Harry didn’t answer him, but he sort of forgot he had asked a question anyway.

            Harry found his release as soon as Louis decided to suck a love bite on his neck, and then he threw Louis roughly on his back on the bed and pulled his shorts and boxer down, leaning forward to take him on his mouth seconds after his own orgasm. Louis could only moan and groan and gasp. Harry held his waist down and his legs were in W on the bed, pretty uncomfortably, but he didn’t pay it much attention. Harry sucked him hard and enthusiastically, pleased to see Louis writhe under him and scratch his back and pull his hair. When Louis came, it was with a loud moan and an entire-body shiver.

“The answer to your question,” Harry said after a few moments, voice rough and tone amused. “Is: you’ll produce slick when you’re close to your first heat. So, yeah baby, it does do it for me, a lot, and please, do tell me when it starts happening.” He leaned to kiss Louis’s tummy from where he was sprawled on the bed. “You menace.”

-

            Harry and Louis said goodbye to Cancun by taking their very first selfie and posting it on Harry’s Instagram with the caption “ _home._ ” (plus the house emoji). Harry was kissing Louis’s cheek, who had his eyes crinkled because of how big his smile was – and behind them the ocean was bright blue. It was the first picture in which Harry showed clear romantic love for someone and it got many comments and likes, but he didn’t pay attention to any of them.

            They caught their flight and because of weird time zones, they arrived at Heathrow at midnight, where Robin was waiting to get them.

            Harry’s stepfather hugged both of them and told them to get in the car so they could face the three-hour-long trip home to their town. They had to put the heating really high, because the boys didn’t have suiting clothes for England’s weather and were regretfully missing Cancun’s. Harry sat on the passenger seat and made conversation with Robin the entire way, but Louis was out as soon as he made himself comfortable. When they finally arrived to Harry’s silent home (his mom was sleeping and Gemma was back at uni in Sheffield), Harry helped his stepfather unload their luggage and then quietly collected Louis from the back seat in his arms as if he didn’t weight anything and, with him snuggled to his chest, whispered goodnight to Robin and went upstairs to his room.

            Louis didn’t even stir, tired and comfortable with Harry’s scent and hold around him, and Harry, completely settled on his role as Louis’s alpha, didn’t even think to ask Robin – technically the superior alpha on their house – if it was ok if Louis slept in his room. He wouldn’t take a ‘no’ anyways, and it was better if no one tried to stop him while he took care of his omega.

            Harry breathed the smell of his room in and then Louis’s hair, and he liked the mix. He put his sleeping promised on his single bed and undressed him for the night. He undressed himself and lay down snuggled on his (almost) mate. They were home.

-

            As the months passed, it was clear that Harry and Louis were in a serious relationship, and silly things like Facebook showed it to the world, but they were still very private and possessive over each other. That meant they would mostly meet by themselves or in their houses, now that it was allowed. Louis and Harry slept in each other’s rooms every other night, and the big distance between their homes and schools didn’t put a stop to their assiduity, since Harry borrowed Anne’s car and Louis went by bus.

            When Harry’s rut was showing signs it would appear, he called Louis and met him at Donny Bakery, about half an hour before his afternoon shift. They sat face to face and shared a blueberry muffin.

“Lou,” Harry started, looking at his face attentively. “My next rut is coming up.” He said bluntly, and Louis’s brows went up. “What do you want me do? I’ll do whatever you want.”

“I-” He coughed, getting a bit flustered. “I- I dun’ know, Harry, it’s your rut. Your call.”

“You are very well aware that that’s not true.” He frowned, and then sighed. “I don’t wanna hurt you again, love. That’s all. I can spent it alone-”

“That’s- That hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Not really. It doesn’t hurt, that’s what stupid alphas say to convince omegas to let them fuck them outta pity. To guilt someone into sex is basically rape, so...” Louis hummed, feeling proud of the alpha he was promised to. “It’s just a bit- like- annoying. That’s it. It’s unpleasant, but I can handle it no problems.” Louis sighed, looking down. He passed his hand through his hair, a bit nervous.

“I don’t-” He covered his eyes with his right hand for a second. “I don’t want you with other people, Haz.” He whispered, and Harry stayed quiet for a second before nodding.

“That’s settled-”

“I could do it?” Louis was still whispering, shy, looking down. Harry frowned.

“Look at me,” He asked, and Louis did immediately. “You _don’t_ have to-”

“I know, Hazza,” He smiled gently. Then got even more flushed. “I thought- I could- Just help you out. Not do anything different from what we’ve already done, ok? Like, it’s better than alone, right? Even if it’s not- huh…”

            Harry smiled sweetly at him. “To have you help would be better than the whole thing with anyone at any time, love.” Then he shrugged. “I don’t think I could even do it, even on rut- Now that- That I’ve tasted you, the others will be like- Like, disgusting, probably.” Louis scrunched his face over his wording, but he was actually pleased with that statement. Harry chuckled looking at his cute face. “Could you come to mine?”

            Louis nodded, then said quietly “Yeah.”

“Tonight? I’ll make the call for you.” Louis nodded again, a warm fuzzy feeling on his stomach.

“Thanks.”

“Thank _you_ , you beautiful boy.” Louis giggled, and that was it. Since they had already been sharing beds since they came back from Cancun, to share ruts were the next natural step and no one batted an eyelash over it.

            Having sex was not a prerequisite for bonding – obviously, having sex didn’t mean mating (otherwise, casual one-night stands would become very awkward indeed), so people could see the lack of bonding bite on Louis’s neck and they could smell their promise, not a bond, in them. Everyone thought they had already had sex without bonding, and Louis and Harry didn’t correct their assumption, after all, it was none of anyone’s business.

-

            In July, when Harry’s Sixth Form had finally ended, his friends decided to throw a party to celebrate it at Jake’s house, which was pretty big and away from the city center (and his parents wouldn’t be in town). Harry had kept Louis pretty much away from everyone on his Year – except for Niall, and even him didn’t get to see Louis all that often. However, he decided that the party would be a nice one to take Louis with him.

            When they arrived at Jake’s house, Harry parked Anne’s car on the grass in the front. The music was already blasting and everyone had a cup on their hands. Louis, the youngest there, held Harry’s hand tighter and built his courage from his promised. Harry was relaxed, confident and proud to be showing his boy off. Although he seemed pretty sure of himself, Harry was in a constant conflict of wanting to parade Louis around to make the world jealous of him and wanting to hide Louis on his bed so he could be a sight for his eyes only. He would usually try to find the balance between the two options, but at the party, the first one was getting a bit more attention.

            Harry introduced Louis to his closest friends as his promised, proud and caring, hugging Louis from behind and kissing his cheek whenever the boy smiled. Everyone called them adorable and, of course, loved Louis pretty quickly. Harry knew how lovely he was and was happy to take care of him. He sipped from a cup with vodka and diet coke to check if it was too strong and passed it to Louis, watching him closely, and took another cup for himself. They danced, talked and had fun with the others for a few hours. When nothing but fun and funny things happened, Harry loosened his close guard. That was when everything went south.

            Taylor and her squad of overly skinny girls distracted and delayed Harry in such a way that he didn’t realize they were doing it. Their objective was only to separate Harry from Louis so Taylor could try and seduce him while he was a bit tipsy (that was the first time she saw him in a less-than-extremely-sober state). They didn’t care for Louis.

            However, Louis, a bit more than tipsy, saw himself being carried to the backyard with a sudden crowd of people that wanted to try the pool. Being slightly buzzed, he didn’t see that unbonded alphas were looking a bit too hard at him. Those alphas had been drinking in the backyard the entire time they had been inside, so none of them had seen Louis with Harry. All of them were too drunk to smell the promise on him. A boy called Joshua, who actually knew Harry through Niall but was not his friend, realized that Louis was desired and he decided to act quickly so he could claim him for the night. He put his beer on the grass and walked with intention.

            Joshua approached Louis and got into his space, overstepping his boundary and touching his face all in one go. “Hi there, gorgeous!” He exclaimed, and Louis immediately tried to step back. He could smell the alcohol on him, and he knew drunk people had difficulties smelling subtler scents, such as his promise. Before he could say anything, the big and bulky alpha circled his waist with a strong arm. “You look awfully lonely here tonight, looking around. Look no more, love, I’ve got what you need.” He smirked, and Louis tried to explain that he was looking for his promised, but the gripping fear had him silent and paralyzed. “You can be my pet tonight, darling, and I’ll feed you my big alpha cock and you’ll squirm and moan for me, Omega.”

            Louis was trembling horrified, wide eyes and panicking breath. He had never heard anything like that, or been held like that, by anyone other than Harry – and he found out it was repulsive, disgusting and _wrong_. He whimpered in distress, but stayed helplessly still, not knowing what to do, hating his own mind for panicking and making no sense. His heart was beating on his throat and he couldn’t hear or see beside the point right in front of his face; his senses were on overload and he wanted to cry.

            Then, the alpha grabbed him by both arms and glued their bodies together, fitting one of his legs between Louis’s. Louis struggled to be set free, and that only made the alpha squeeze him harder, digging his nails into his skin. Only then, in pain and completely in despair, Louis made a sound he had never done before – he cried out, desperate and hurt, but not loud at all. It was a kind of screech but as loud as a hiss, and it startled the alpha.

            The sound was desperate and hurt, but it wasn’t enough to alert anyone at the party, because the music was still blasting. However, that particular tone was designed for his promised’s ears. They just didn’t know it. Harry, from inside the house trying to disentangle himself from Taylor, heard the cry loud and clear even though no one else did. He immediately growled aggressively, and all the girls around him stepped back, afraid; Harry’s teeth were showing, he suddenly looked like a wild animal, all signals from intoxication or distraction gone. He ran outside, blind to everything and everyone but Louis – his eyes saw only moving shadows that were not his boy. Despair was making his heart pound against his ribcage.

            The few seconds it took for Harry to run to the back of the house and locate Louis were the worst of his life –thinking what could’ve happened and wondering why the hell he wasn’t at Louis’s side the whole time. When he spotted him, locked in another alpha’s arms, he saw red. Harry didn’t ask anything, didn’t try to solve anything peacefully – he grabbed the alpha’s neck and pulled him towards his fist.

            Harry threw a punch at Joshua – who he recognized with a small part of his brain but didn’t care in the slightest – that had the boy stumbling back. As soon as people noticed there was a fight happening, they opened space and started to cheer or scream for no reason. Joshua growled at him, recovering his footing, but Harry growled back just as fiercely. Harry looked at Louis for just a second to guarantee he was ok, but then he saw the purple marks the other alpha had left on his arms. That sent him berserk.

            Harry’s aggressive snarls had Louis’s head bowed down and his neck bared in submissiveness, something that no one else could have achieved. But Harry didn’t see the gesture, because he attacked the other boy viciously. Like an angry wolf, he pounded. They punched and clawed at each other; they ended up on the floor, violently trying to force the other to submit and stay down. Harry had the reason and the vengeance, and a clearer head, so, soon enough, he had Joshua unresponsive on the ground, making him bleed unrestricted.

            Harry won the fight, it was clear, but he didn’t stop. He was deaf for everyone’s screams. He kept punching, blindly furious, until his promised’s voice seeped into his conscience. His tone was different from the crying out, but still they recognized it as being _made_ for Harry.

“Haz, stop. Please, stop. Harry-” And as soon as he made out Louis’s low and soothing tone, he stopped. He left Joshua’s head fall on the grass, almost unconscious and bleeding.

-

            Harry led Louis to the car, protecting him with his body so his boy wouldn’t touch anyone else. He ignored all the stares and the questions, and he even dodged Niall, not realizing his friend was asking if they were ok. Every guest on the party who saw them leaving got curious and worried at the same time, but didn’t say anything; after all, there was blood on Harry’s knuckles, his face was murderous and his stance suggested that if anyone dared to approach Louis he would pounce and tear their throats in the spot. So no one did.

            When they finally reached the car after crossing the crowd, Harry opened the door and practically put Louis on the passenger seat, and he himself buckled his seat belt, uncaring that Louis could do that alone, too deep in the alpha mindset of ‘secure him’, ‘care for him’, ‘protect him’, ‘do anything for him’. He was seething, fuming, furious – his breath was jolting and short, and he felt completely aware: the colors were more striking, the smells stronger, the sounds easily separated and recognized. However, he also felt completely floaty, like he was not in control of his own movements.

            Louis was quiet and trembling, but not crying. At the same time he was feeling safe with Harry and Harry’s scent, he was also shaken and in terrible need of some comfort – which Harry was just not ready to provide. He knew his alpha was making sure he was alright, but the look on Harry’s face put him off a bit.

            Harry sat on the driver’s seat heavily, and without looking at Louis, turned the car on and drove. He just drove, quiet, hands tight on the wheel, eyes focused on the road and frown deep in place. His lips were a white line, his shoulders were high with tension and Louis could see that his teeth were gritted. It saddened and terrified him seeing Harry so angry, so he tried to use his omega voice again.

“ _Mate…_ ” He mewled, trying for soothing and calm and low again, but it was a bit harder now that the immediate danger had passed. Yet, he still needed his promised. “I wanna-” He hesitated, he could see that Harry was listening, but his alpha didn’t look at him. That made him pout. “Haz, I wan’ a hug.”

            When Harry still didn’t respond, he sniffled and reached to touch his shoulder delicately, only brushing his fingertips on his skin. The other hand he hid part of his own face, as if shielding himself against a rejection.

“A-alpha,” He whispered, eyes stinging and voice wavering. Harry sighed, relaxing his grip the tiniest bit, finally letting himself be affected by Louis.

“Louis,” He said, still awfully serious. “I’m sorry I let that happen to you. It’s never going to happen again, I promise. I promise you I won’t-”

“It was not your fault.” This time, Louis succeeded in using the tone he had discovered. Harry’s jaw instantly loosened a bit. “It was not your fault at all, Hazza. You protected me.”

            Harry let his shoulders sag a little, but didn’t answer. Then, after a few seconds: “Can you keep talking?” He whispered, strangely vulnerable when Louis knew he was struggling not to snap something in half.

“I shouldn’t have moved away from you.” He said the first thing that came to his mind, looking to his knees. “I don’t even know how I-”

“It was not your fault either.” Harry said and his voice sounded more like normal, calmer, slowly getting sweet.

            Louis stayed quiet for a few moments. “I guess.” He whispered. He looked at Harry’s profile. “Thank you for saving me, Harry.” Harry actually smiled, just a small and tight one, but Louis saw progress. “Usually I don’t like to feel like a damsel in distress needing a prince, but… I’m happy you were there anyway. Although I hope this never happens again.”

“It won’t. I swear on my life-”

“Stop, Haz. Don’t- don’t do that to yourself, love. I trust you, I trust and have faith in you to be by my side. I don’t want- Like, I don’t want a bodyguard. I mean, I- I want you, that’s more than enough.” The more he talked, the more the tension seeped away from Harry. Louis’s voice was raspy but healing, making his alpha slowly feel more like himself, more in control. He stopped squeezing the wheel and the blood returned to his knuckles. His breathing was evening out.

“Are you ok?” He said lowly. “Now that the adrenalin is gone, how are you feeling?” He asked, the steady hum of the car putting both in a calmer state of mind. Louis opened the window just a crack, so the wind could blow on his hair. He moved his fingers before answering.

“I’m fine, Harry. I’m a bit queasy, and my arms are a bit sore, but it’s not much, I swear.”

            Harry nodded, then stopped the car. They were in the middle of nowhere, having actually gotten farther away from the city – Louis didn’t even notice where they were driving to. Harry parked the car in the grass beside the road and turned the light on. “Let me see your arms.” Louis dutifully extended both his arms. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, so it was easy to see his skin.

            He had purple bruises and nails marks, which throbbed a little, but it wasn’t as bad as it looked. “I bruise easily, Haz. I’m not hurting, promise.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Harry looked deep in his eyes, frowning, but with hands soft and delicate on his arms even though his knuckles were still bloodied.

“’M not lying. It’s just sore, it’ll pass.”

“Are you sure, Louis?” He nodded, and only then, Harry sighed in relief. “Thank God.” He squeezed his own eyes shut, thumbs caressing his boy’s skin. “I don’t know what I’d’ve done if I saw you hurt.” Louis shivered, imagining a worst scenario than the one Harry had caused.

“Promised… What about you? You have blood on your hands and shirt.” Harry’s expression turned into something sinister that Louis didn’t like.

“It’s not mine.” Louis reached to touch his chest, delicately caressing with his fingertips. Harry looked down. “He hit me a few times, but it’s not hurting. It didn’t break skin.” Louis nodded, but before he could ask to see his injuries, Harry continued. “Lou, I’ll take pics of your bruises, alright? Precaution.” Louis frowned, confused.

“Why?” But he was already showing his arms to Harry’s phone.

“In case that fucking moron decides to press charges. I’d need to prove I was defending you.”

“Everyone saw, I guess…” Harry hummed, but took the pictures anyway. He sent them to himself by email, trying to breathe deeply to calm himself. He was feeling better already because of Louis’s scent and voice.

“Lou, you spoke different today.”

“I did, yeah. Didn’t know I could do that.” He shrugged, getting closer to Harry and leaning on his space, to scent him easier. “Guess it’s an omega thing I wasn’t aware of.”

“Guess so,” Harry agreed. “Must be like my alpha tone, but to ask for help. Or to calm.” Louis nodded, assenting. They breathed into each other, slowly leaning to touch their foreheads together. “Today was really frightening.” Harry whispered, vulnerable, eyes down. “I couldn’t find you and it was the worst moment of my life. To be without you.”

            Louis sighed, sad but touched. “I knew you’d come.” He whispered back. “I knew you’d never leave me there.”

“I wouldn’t.” Louis smiled, sweetly, nodding. He pecked Harry’s lips and the side of his lips.

“I wanna go home, Haz.”

“Your home?”

“Whichever. Wanna sleep with you.” Harry nodded immediately. He knew he wouldn’t be able to be apart from him right now, so Jay’s or Anne’s house, it was not important. He chose his mom’s because there was less people, so less chance of being bothered. They drove there in silence, but holding hands tightly over Harry’s thigh.

            At Anne’s house, Harry put the car in the garage without a hitch, and both boys went upstairs silently. Before going to bed, they took a shower together, both assessing the other’s injuries carefully, and taking care of them. They slept holding each other even more securely than normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, the picture isn't mine but I don't have a source to credit. If you're able to read it, the watermark in the pic is there. Kudos to them! And, again, imagine Louis with no beard please! xx


	14. The Miracle of Omegas

            Harry was constantly tired lately. He worked many shifts: mornings and the beginning of afternoons in the bakery and nights from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the pub. However, he secured some hours to see Louis: After the bakery, he’d go home to shower to be ready to his night shift; at 4, he’d go to Louis’s school to walk him home and then he’d stay with him until his shift at pub, at night. On Saturdays, he boxed during the morning and he’d usually spend the rest of the time glued to his promised.

            It was one Saturday in August, summer holiday for Louis, that Jay invited Harry’s family to have lunch and stay the day with them. After eating, Harry and Louis played doll with the girls and played ball with their stepdads. They messed around together and had lots of fun. They had some nice pictures taken.

            By the end of the afternoon, they all bundled together in the living room to watch The Sound of Music.

            Harry sprawled on the loveseat as if he was at his own home – Louis sat on the floor with the twins, his back to the loveseat. As soon as he rested his back, Harry’s hand found his hair to pet. They were all kind of watching and kind of talking at the same time, and it didn’t take long for Harry to pull Louis’s hair a little. When Louis looked at him to complain, he gestured ‘up’ with his chin, and with no other probing, Louis climbed the loveseat and lay down on top of Harry’s body, getting comfortable quickly, already a master of snuggling with his promised.

“You’re comfy,” He whispered to Harry’s jaw, where his mouth was almost touching. He saw Harry smile.

“And you’re lovely.” He whispered back, making Louis scrunch his nose at the adjective but Harry continued talking, only to deter Louis’s complaint. “I love you.” He said even lower, directly on his ear, and at that Louis smiled. Before he could say anything back, Harry turned his face away from him so he could yawn. Louis waited for it to end to lightly kiss his neck and jaw.

“Nap now, love.” Louis said softly. Harry kissed his forehead, holding him closer against his body, and nodded. He closed his eyes, awfully tired, rested his chin on Louis’s hair, and in a few minutes he was sleeping. Louis’s attention was split between his alpha’s breath and the movie – but, to be true, the movie was a re-watch, so he let the soothing pattern of Harry’s breathing put him to sleep as well.

            None of the boys noticed their moms commenting their behavior excitedly – Anne and Jay already knew their wedding’s color theme and flowers. After a couple of hours, Harry woke up with his mom’s voice calling his name.

“Wake up, Harry, c’mon.” He opened one eye at a time and frowned at her. His neck was stiff.

“What, mum?” He looked down and squeezed Louis’s sleeping form as if to make sure he was really there in his arms.

“It’s time to go, Harry. Say goodbye, put Louis on his bed and let’s go, please. I’m tired.”

“Mum, it’s Saturday.” Anne rolled her eyes and Robin snorted, as if saying ‘I told you so’. She looked meaningfully at him, so he sighed and gently shook Louis. “Lou,” he whispered. “Wake up, love. I’ve got to go.”

“Hmm, stop it, shut it,” Louis mumbled, frowning deeply. Harry laughed, making Louis’s body move up and down. Louis grabbed his shirt. “Don’t.” He actually ordered, which made Harry snigger at how adorable he was when he was grumpy.

“My mom wants to go home.” He explained.

“Mummm,” Louis whined, fighting his eyes to open, but the light made him squint. “Sleepover, can he?” He asked, not even realizing he had called Anne ‘mum’. She certainly noticed, and with a hand in her heart and a big touched smile, she nodded. No one could resist Louis, Harry was absolutely sure of that.

“Ok then, sons.” She preened at her own words. Her gleaming eyes went to Jay, who smiled happily at her. “Goodnight.” Harry whispered a warning to Louis’s ear and the boy grabbed his neck. Harry then got up, Louis secured on his arms, and he kissed both women on the cheek before saying goodnight and going upstairs with Louis, not caring that it was barely 9 p.m. and even the twins were still awake. He was knackered, and Louis’s scent and calming presence was enough to make him comfortable and cozy.

-

            One day, after discussing and planning, Louis and Harry cornered Jay in a rare moment she wasn’t preoccupied with the girls. She was humming to herself while browsing a magazine in the loveseat when, holding hands, the boys sat in the couch in front of her. She looked up, instantly suspicious.

“Jay, I want to talk to you.” Harry started, adult-like, serious, sitting straight. Jay closed the magazine immediately, and nodded. Louis was sitting closer to Harry than would be appropriate, both his hands holding one of Harry’s. “It’s about something that I want and have been planning for years, but it doesn’t involve only myself. That is, it involves Louis, and because of that, you.”

“Haz, son…”

“You know you’re my second mother, don’t you? You know, right?” She smiled sweetly at him, but he could see how apprehensive she was. She kept stealing glances of Louis, who was looking attentively at Harry’s shoulder. “You’ve raised Louis, who is the light of my life, and you did a bloody brilliant job at that. I’m grateful to you every day of my life.” Louis finally touched his face to Harry’s shoulder at that, flushed but pleased.

“Thank you, darling. I- I don’t even-”

“I- I’m sorry, I don’t mean to make you confuse. I’ll explain.” He took a deep breath. “I will move to London, Jay. To go to uni. I wanna study photography, ‘ve always wanted. And I wan’ Louis to go with.” He pleaded, eyes glued to her face. She bit her lip, anguished. “I can’t live without him, Jay. Not now that we’ve met, now that we sleep in the same bed almost every day, now that I know how his hair smells like. I can’t go to London and- And Skype Louis again.” He sat a bit closer to Louis, who was still saying nothing, too weighted by the situation and the words Harry was saying. “I know how Lou likes his tea, how fast his nails grow, how he likes the temperature in the bath water. I can take care of him, Jay, I promise that I can and _I will_.”

“Harry…”

“I want to promise you this, please. Please. I will keep him safe, I’ll provide and I‘ll make Louis happy. I know London is bigger and more expensive, but I, I’ve researched, I’ve looked his school up, compared everything-”

“Harry, you have my blessing, love.” She interrupted, quickly to make him stop talking. Louis almost got whiplash from how fast he moved his head. They were both staring at her as soon as the words left her mouth. She sighed, eyes gleaming. “You both have my blessings, Lou, my beautiful son. How- How could I keep you apart? It, it hurts, yes, but.” She looked up, trying not to cry, but a few tears rolled down her face anyway. Louis pouted and his eyes swelled up in the same instant. She sniffed. “Sometimes, you know, sometimes I think that I raised Louis with you in my mind, Harry, all the time. From the very beginning, he has never been mine, always you, always for you. Since the moment you hugged him when you were a toddler yourself, I knew.”

            Harry looked down, touched, beyond grateful, with his heart so full he thought it could overflow. He loved her so very much. “I knew this day would come-” Her voice was broken and wet, but she was forcing the words through the tears. “And I’m- I’m so proud of you. Of you both. It’s so beautiful to see you together, so fulfilling for me and Anne to, to have you together. I just- I just want you happy.”

            Harry got up suddenly, enveloping her on his arms, holding her petite figure against his chest, protectively, warm, loving. She knew Louis would be very well cared for indeed; she could feel it. Louis joined the hug already in tears, grabbing at his two most important people, terribly happy but also mourning the end of what was a wonderful stage of his life.

“Thank you, Jay. Thank you so much.” Harry whispered in her hair, and when Louis looked up, Harry’s eyes were on him and he was smiling. “Thank you for giving me my promised, for giving me a reason to live.” He loosened the hug so he could look at her face. He wiped some of her tears with his thumbs. “I know now- I know that I’m me, I’m alpha, I’m who I am because of Louis. Because Lou is my omega, I’m complete. And I owe it to you. You, mum, who let me hold him before you, who trusted me with your firstborn. I love you, and I’m here for you, whenever. I promise it.”

            Jay kissed his cheek lovingly, than hugged Louis even closer. She kissed his face as well. “I’m very proud, Louis. I’m proud of you both. And I know you will be happy together, here, in London or wherever.”

“Thanks, mum.” Louis whispered, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He was grateful, happy and excited for the future. “I love you.” He said, and he meant it.

-

            On Louis’s 15th birthday, Louis woke up on Harry’s arms, while his promised squeezed him close and kissed his cheeks softly. It was really early on a Sunday and they were under heavy blankets.

“Happy birthday, baby boy.” He whispered when he noticed the pattern in Louis’s breath changing. He tangled their legs together. “How does it feel to be fifteen?”

“Hmmmm… Like heaven.” He rasped in answer, burying his face on Harry’s neck and hugging his waist. He sighed, happily. “Morning, promised.”

“Good morning, baby.” He said quietly, his voice smooth and soothing. Louis could hear his soft smile on his voice. “Today everyone is coming here. Just to see you.”

“It helps that it’s Christmas Eve. They would be coming anyways.” He said, moving his face away so he could finally open his eyes and look at Harry’s face. He had a bun on his hair, which was getting quite long by now. Some strands were loose and falling everywhere. Louis loved it. “You’re so gorgeous.”

“Oh why, thank you, lovely. You’re not so bad yourself.” He mocked, which had Louis rolling his eyes. Harry chuckled. “Love you, Lou. We’re gonna live together in a few months and I’ll be in uni and we’ll be together in a flat in London and you’re amazing.”

            Louis laughed, amused. “I love that I have a cute alpha, you know.”

“You know what, I am very cute indeed. And I’ll make breakfast to my omega while nobody else is up. C’mon, up you go, fifteener.” Louis chuckled, deeply in love.

            He only got up because of the promise of watching his alpha cook him breakfast. Louis loved how unconventional they were – how Harry fitted perfectly into his gender but was still gentle, still humble and he still did small things that never stopped astounding Louis, like making him breakfast or talking about his feelings so openly, which was a problem for many alphas. Harry didn’t mind that Louis didn’t feel particularly drawn to all things domestic, and he just supported him on everything that interested him, including football – which was something many alphas forbid their omegas to take part in because it could hurt them. Harry protected and cared for him, but didn’t take him away from the things he wanted to do.

            Sitting on the counter while Harry whisked some eggs, dressed on his alpha’s lavender sweater he had gotten as a present, Louis reflected on how much he loved how his relationship worked and how well they built their trust and companionship. He smiled throughout the day nonstop.

-

            It was the weekend after Harry’s 19th birthday. Louis’s family went to a shopping spree, but he decided he much preferred to stay with Harry instead of listen to his sisters get excited because of clothes. It was the first anniversary of their Official, and of their trip to Cancun. They celebrated going to a romantic dinner the night before and getting each other off quietly on Louis’s bedroom. They were quite good at making the other squirm, but the silence was a hard lesson to learn. They were only now getting the hang of it. However, this time they didn’t get any complaints the morning after, so all was fine.

            They were sitting side by side on the couch browsing a website on Louis’s laptop to find housing options in London that weren’t too expensive or too far away from uni or school. They had narrowed it down to three options and were looking for others. The house was warm, but outside the streets were slippery and the wind was still freezing.

“All the options are going to be flawed, I’m afraid.” Harry said, pouting. “I want something neither of us will have to suffer with the tube or with lack of money, you know?” He mumbled, eyes concentrated on the screen. Hands fumbling with the keyboard without actually hitting any keys.

“It’s ok, Haz. We’ll find it. It’s too early anyways. And I quite like our options so far. This one, look.” He opened the tab showing a small but cute loft.

“Too small, Lou.”

“It’s small yeah, but it’s not for our future family. It’s for the both of us only. When we have a baby we can worry ‘bout something bigger, silly.” Harry’s pout got even more pronounced.

“But… we’ve always had room… for many things. A backyard. A trampoline. A-”

“Do you really feel like we need that? We’re just starting, H, it’s only the beginning.” He said quietly, looking at Harry’s eyes intently. Harry sighed.

“I… Oh Lou, I didn’t want to- to lower your lifestyle. Y’know. There, things will be pretty different from how we’ve lived here.”

“I’m not worried.” He shrugged. “Besides, we’ll have our own room. Our own little kitchen. It’s going to be loved even if it’s tiny.”

“But our books…”

“We could store them on the stairs. We just need one desk, we can share. One couch is more than enough, we always snuggle anyways. We don’t even need telly-”

“But visits?”

“We figure it out, love.” Louis shrugged again, easily. Harry held both his hands on his own.

“Are you sure, Lou? You sure you wouldn’t mind? I don’t want you uncomf-”

“Yeah baby, take it easy on yourself.” Harry sighed, and then smiled fondly to Louis, who smiled right back. “You’re my alpha. I respect and trust you, Harry. No matter where we live, ok?” Harry nodded, humbled. “Besides, I wanna work.” At that, Harry frowned, thinking of the pub he worked at.

“Why? Where? You don’t have to, I’ll-”

“I want to, love. To help. To feel useful, I-”

“You’re so helpful already…” Louis frowned as well.

“I wanna prove my worth, Harry. And I don’t wanna ask for permission, alright? It’s my decision, not yours.”

“I- I know.” He nodded, as if reminding himself some of his own beliefs. “You’re your own person. But- I… I worry. The pub-”

“No, love. Not a pub. I was thinking more like- The library. Maybe a store, like a disco store or bookstore. Don’t know, whichever is more convenient for us. But, I mean, something more omega friendly. I don’t wanna be harassed, H.”

            Harry nodded, biting his lip a little bit. Louis smiled at him.

“I guess… we could use the extra money.”

“See! It’s reasonable.”

“Yea, but I don’t have to like it.” Louis showed him his tongue.

“It doesn’t matter.” He said jokingly, but meaning it. Harry admired how strong and smart his omega was – unwilling to be controlled but still keeping things light and easy, avoiding a fight and avoiding an order at the same time. Harry was honestly proud.

“I’m aware, my sweet boy. Your decision, and I support you. But I’d like to- to look at the places with you. Can I?” Rolling his eyes a bit, Louis nodded.

“Oh yeah, big bad alpha to scare my future co-workers into not being my friends!”

“Hey! What’s with the attitude?!” Harry asked, mocking indignation.

“What attitude? Big bad alpha can’t take it from an omega like-” Before he could finish his sentence, Harry suddenly straddled him on the couch, pushing him to lie back down. Louis laughed out loud.

“You insolent tiny beast. You will be punished!” Harry grumbled, trying for intimidating but not really succeeding. Louis didn’t stop laughing.

“Oh yeah?” He said in between breaths. “What if I’m not afraid of a big softie like y-”

“Oh, you’ll regret it!” Harry rumbled and started to tickle him and poke at his ribs in a way that had Louis screaming and guffawing, squirming and thrashing under Harry, but still refusing to cry mercy. Harry was focused, but he smiled big.

“Take it back!” He demanded, trying to hold in his own laugh at the lovely sounds Louis was making. “Say I’m a dangerous, hard-to-please, demanding alpha! I’ll have you walking on your knees every day, you devious omega!” Harry caught Louis’s hands which were trying to push him away and held them above his boy’s head. Then, he secured both hands with only his left one; his right hand he kept busy tickling Louis.

“Oh no, Haz! No!” Louis screamed and laughed, pushing against the lock on both his hands, but he soon found that Harry’s catch was relentless. He gasped; not even with conscious effort he could free himself. “Harry! I, I can’t-” He didn’t know if he laughed or screamed; squirming, trying to make Harry move with his legs thrashing under the alpha.

“That attitude won’t be tolerated on my household, omega. Submit!”

            It was a joke, obviously, and Harry didn’t use his alpha tone that demanded obedience, nor did he mean anything by it – he was only joking. However, at the sound of the last words, Louis automatically stopped screaming and moving and bared his neck completely. Harry stopped poking him immediately, sitting on his legs, and just admired the sight under him with a proud and amazed smile.

            Louis didn’t even seem to realize what he was doing. He heard his alpha demand something from him and obeyed on instinct. Because of the all-encompassing _trust_ he had on Harry he didn’t question, didn’t think about his role, didn’t hesitate – he let himself be what he was: an omega. Even if he wasn’t a conventional, traditional role model of an omega, he was one and he felt pleased, completely fulfilled when his alpha was happy with him. He didn’t feel unjustified – Harry loved him, supported him, gave himself to him; so he wasn’t afraid of loving, supporting and giving himself back.

“Look at that.” Everything was suddenly quiet, so Harry whispered his words. “You can sassy me all you want, Tomlinson, but look at this.” He still had Louis’s hands locked above his head, so their chests were close together. Louis had his face hidden on his own arm, showing as much skin as he could, chin high. Harry used his right hand to caress the expanse of skin he was presenting so willingly. “You’re mine alright. I don’t even have to seriously ask and you’re already submitting. Oh, this is beautiful.” He pressed his thumb where their bond mark would be and Louis let out an involuntary gasp. “Your heat will be a wonderful thing to watch.”

            Louis blinked his glossy eyes and smiled at Harry, whispering back with a rough but sweet voice.

“Only watch?” He sassed. Even on a deeper mindset, he was still himself.

“Oh, Louis.” Harry leaned closer, almost pressing their lips together. “I’ll make you cry mercy.” He rasped, eyes hooded, promise heavy on his tone. “I’ll make you forget everything. The only thing you’ll know is that you’re mine.”

            He bent his head to kiss his boy’s neck, denying him a kiss on the lips. He breathed hard and decided he wanted to tease his feisty omega. So he got up.

“Do you want some water? Juice?” He asked, already heading to the kitchen. Louis sighed, finally lowering his arms, a bit horny but deeply satisfied with his life.

“Yes, please.” He mewled, pressing his legs together. He was feeling a deep and slow heat that was running on his veins – not a heat, not yet, but a desire to be together, to feel complete, to be combined. His cock was half-hard and the memory of Harry locking him useless against the couch effortlessly while laying their bodies together was doing nothing to placate it.

            Harry, however, nodded at his words and went to the kitchen. After a little while, Louis got up and followed; he perched himself on the counter, watching Harry move around silently. When his alpha came back with two glasses of apple juice, he fitted himself between Louis’s legs, smirking around his glass, eyes focused on his promised. Louis took his juice, casually, and crossed his ankles behind Harry’s back, locking his alpha closer to him.

            After a few sips on his juice, Louis stated, utterly nonchalant: “You’re in prison now.”

“Hmmm,” Harry frowned, but he was amused.

“You need a special pass to leave.”

“Tell me more.” He played along.

“It’s a favor.” Louis said sagely, his cup half hiding his face. He was trying not to smile.

“Whose favor?”

“Mine. And my favors aren’t given freely nor easily.” Harry rolled his eyes.

“I bloody well hope so.” He grumbled, and Louis sniggered, kicking Harry’s back weakly. Harry smiled indulgently at him. “What do you require, oh master of the maddening thighs prison?”

“Oh no, darling, that’s not how it works.” He smirked, feeling awfully clever. “You give. I say if your payment is fair or not.”

“I see! You decide the pass only after you’ve received it. Smart.” He nodded, and Louis looked at him with fake contemp.

“What do you take me for? Some kind of simpleton?” Harry smiled bigger, amused, sipping his juice thoughtfully.

“Maybe a kiss would suffice as a fair payment?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” Louis put his glass down beside him. Harry smirked and reached to peck his lips, just to see what Louis would say. He was _not_ expecting what Louis did.

            Harry startled when Louis screamed “PEEHHH! WRONG!” and he laughed out loud, because of course. He should have expected it.

“You’ll have to do much better than that, darling.” Louis mocked but Harry nodded understanding.

“Second chance?” He asked humbly, and Louis smiled indulgently. Harry leaned again and secured his glass on the counter before touching their lips together. This time, he slipped his tongue into Louis’s mouth and felt when his omega shivered. He touched the promising spot on his neck as he deepened the kiss, licking Louis’s tongue to the point where he moaned. At the sound, he moved back. The “pehhh!” didn’t come this time and Louis kept his eyes closed for a few seconds. “Am I free?” Harry asked, eyes intent on Louis’s beautiful face.

“Tempting.” He said, then opened his eyes. “That _was_ a good payment. However, I’m enjoying this game far too much.”

“I can see that.” Harry suddenly palmed between Louis’s legs, which made his boy let out a low moan. “You’re hard, love.”

“You’re- you’re getting closer to freedom. Warmer.” He bit his lower lip, making Harry smile.

“Oh, really?” He looked at him with fake thoughtfulness. “Guess I should pursue my favor then.”

“Guess so.” He agreed, casually, as if Harry’s hands weren’t unbuttoning his jeans.

            Harry took his cock out, hands smooth over the head, looking down with his mouth slightly opened. He heard Louis’s hitched breath, but didn’t look up. He caressed his dick to full hardness, and when it was leaking and Louis panting, he couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Guess I have to deserve my freedom.” He mumbled, leaning forward to swallow around Louis’s cock. Instantly, Louis leaned back, blissed out, supporting himself on his elbows on the counter. Harry needed more space to reach all the way down, so Louis unlocked his ankles and pressed the heels of his feet to Harry’s love handles, losing the pretense of the prison.

            Harry thought about messing with Louis and move out, since he had been granted his freedom, but he was enjoying the game far too much as well. Instead, he sucked harder, deeper, wetter, and he heard Louis fall apart above him.

            Louis took a deep breath, eyes running through the kitchen of his house and to Harry’s head between his legs doing sinful delicious things with him. He buried his hands on Harry’s long hair, caring, softly massaging his locks; he felt Harry smile against his dick. His pants weren’t even down, Harry had to keep the zipper out of his face with his hands. It was a bit messy there on his breakfast table, but it was also really freaking good.

“Harry,” He rasped, voice rough. “I’m coming. Haz- I- Aw! Aw, love, Harr- Uhh!” Harry swallowed around his orgasm and only stopped when Louis pushed him away from his over-sensitive cock.

            Harry nuzzled Louis’s groin, leaving kisses on his heated skin, feeling against his face the movement of Louis’s hectic breathing. “You’re free.” Louis puffed, and Harry laughed against his pubes. He pecked his cock before putting it back on his pants, but instead of moving away, he started to kiss his tummy, pushing his shirt up to have better access. Louis whined, a bit bothered.

“My belly, Haz. Don’t-”

“I love your tummy, Lou.” He rested his face against the small pouch there and looked up, to Louis’s face. “I love every part of you.”

“Not this part-”

“Every part.” He straightened up, touching his chin to Louis’s, almost kissing his lips. “Your tummy is a miracle, yea? It’ll carry our pups in the future. Mine can’t do that.” He pecked his lips, then bit his lower lips and sucked into his mouth. When he let it go, he sighed. “Honestly, omegas are worth a thousand alphas.” That made Louis smile sweetly, fond and loving. Harry smiled right back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for the pic is on it! (needylarry). (Can you imagine them with zero tattooes, except for the butterfly?) Aaaand we're heading to the end! Thank you absolutely for everything xx


	15. A New (Heated) Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks for your comments. This chapter contains a pic that I just googled and then lost the link, like the idiot I am... Sorry for the lack of credit. Also, can you imagine the flat bare? The image's there to exemplify the structure of their flat, the décor would come later. Besides that, here's a smutty audio to listen to, if you want to illustrate how Louis would sound when in heat: http://mandriice.tumblr.com/post/160208997332/gigglelou-delicatelouisx-goldstarlarry (NSFW)  
> Enjoy!

**_Harry Styles (09:45)_ ** _I’m here Lou!! This is the one!!_

 **_Harry Styles (09:45)_ ** _It looks even better than the pics_

 **_Harry Styles (09:46)_ ** _we have a foldable tableeee_

 **_Promised (09:47)_ ** _this is the best thing ever !_

 **_Promised (09:48)_ ** _send a pic ! wanna see, cant wait to be there_

 **_Harry Styles (09:50)_ ** **[picture attached]** _wut do u think?_

__

**_Promised (09:51)_ ** _I’m crying_

 **_Promised (09:53)_ ** _it’s beautiful, I want it_

 **_Harry Styles (09:55)_ ** _baby, we’ll have our own home. Mum and I will close the deal now_

 **_Promised (09:56)_ ** _ <3 <3 <3 <3_

 **_Harry Styles (10:15)_ ** _can’t wait for u to see it in person. Ur gonna love it. I love you._

 **_Promised (10:15)_ ** _I love u too !!!_

-

            They move to London mid-August. After a picnic at the park with Louis’s friends and a pub night with Harry’s friends to say goodbye, and after Harry left his jobs with great recommendations, they were ready to pack everything and finally move in the loft Harry and Anne had chosen the week before. The loft was chosen out of four options Harry and Louis had narrowed down based on nearness to their schools, price and size. When the 17th came along they were ready to travel the three hours needed on the moving truck – after many hugs and crying on shoulders, Harry, Louis and their step-fathers parted to London.

            Everything was absolutely ready with Harry’s university and Louis’s school – the Alpha would start his Photography plus Media and Communication course at the same time Louis would Year 11, and they were feeling too young at 15 and 19, but more than prepared to face it. They both knew their lives together would be completely different in a city so much bigger than their hometown, in a loft thrice smaller than their previous houses and with zero friends to start their academic lives. However, they also knew they’d be together (and alone) to fulfill their vow, strengthen their connection and bond.

            They got to London before 9 a.m. and Harry showed everything he liked about the loft to the others; Louis cried, but just a bit. They started to move the things they brought to the loft, which included 2 chairs, Harry’s desk, Jay’s love seat and two rugs, and they spent the day buying what they wanted and couldn’t bring – such as a mattress and pallets instead of a bed, a tiny coffee table for their living room and some décor items. They were lucky enough to find a flat with a fridge, a stove and a dishwasher, besides the laundry room, all in good conditions. By the end of the afternoon, they went grocery shopping and filled the fridge before saying goodbye to Mark and Robin. Before they could process everything that was going on, Louis and Harry were alone at their new house.

            Harry locked the door and looked behind him, wide-eyed in disbelief, heart beating fast on his chest. Louis was standing there in the middle of _their_ living room looking everywhere, feeling a bit dizzy. There were boxes and bags next to every wall. Although the city was noisy, everything was quiet inside the loft.

            Harry stared at him, at the loft, at the prospect of their future.

“Louis,” He started. The omega looked at him immediately. “Lou.” He called, even more softly. Louis showed him a small and touched smile. Harry opened his arms, eyes gleaming. “Come here, baby.” Louis ran to Harry and fit himself in his embrace, sighing deeply, nuzzling his face to his shirt, scenting his clothes and skin and making himself comfortable. “My beautiful omega…” Harry whispered against his hair. “Mate.”

“Mate.” Louis answered instantly, baring his neck for Harry to nuzzle and scent. He bit and kissed the spot his mark would be, then rested his forehead on Louis’s shoulder. “Can’t wait for us to be mated.” Louis said without a hint of embarrassment, which Harry considered to be great progress.

“Can’t wait to make you mine, baby boy.” He moved a bit away only enough to look at Louis’s face. He pecked his nose. “Can you unpack, Lou? I’ll make dinner.” Louis smiled.

“Yep!” He pecked Harry’s lips and ran upstairs, excited to start making the flat a home.

            Louis decided where the pallet-bed would be and put the smaller rug beside it. Before making the bed, he opened their suitcases and started placing their clothes on the built-in closet, trying to figure out the best position for everything, but knowing he would probably change it later. When he was trying to fit his sneakers next to Harry’s boots, he was hit with a fantastic smell. He figured dinner was almost ready.

            Before Harry called him, he was able to finish their wardrobe and to make the bed. He went downstairs with the suitcases and boxes he could empty feeling completely satisfied and fulfilled with a job well done. He saw Harry finish setting the table and smiled at his beautiful alpha.

“Hey Lou,” Harry smiled at him while redoing his bun to catch the stray locks. “Making dinner was some experience, alright. Did you know we only have one pot?” Louis chuckled at that.

“Did you know we have nowhere to put our suitcases?” Harry shrugged, too happy to stress about that.

“We’ll figure it out.” Louis nodded, dropping everything on the floor and putting them leaned on a wall.

            Louis, then, just because, went for another hug. He was feeling weirdly attached to Harry, strangely touchy-feely, wanting to scent his alpha and feel his skin a lot more than normal. He was feeling emotional over every small moment or task, feeling the difference between the wonderful year they had spent together while Harry worked and they had their families close to the new adventure ahead, in which they were alone, they had to pay bills _and_ mating was going to happen. He knew it would be hard, but he was expecting it to be even more wonderful.

            Harry hugged him tight against his chest, thinking it a bit uncommon, but not complaining. Without a word about that, he kissed his promised’s forehead with a smack.

“Dinner’s ready.” Louis nodded again. They sat to eat on their tiny little kitchen with the table unfolded and the two chairs they had brought from Anne’s garden. The only pot they had was in the middle of the table with a cloth under it, and the two plates and cutlery had to squeeze to fit there as well. It was perfect.

            They ate talking the entire time, explaining to the other where they had put the kitchen utensils/clothes and if they thought it was ok. By the end, they were feeling quite tired, but also extremely excited to be sleeping on their own bed, in their own room, at their own home. Louis took a shower after Harry, and under the spray it took him a little while to realize that something was different. The water seemed still warm even though he had changed the temperature to cold, his legs were shaky, his fingers were tingling – it was weird, but he only really paid attention to it when he was drying himself. He was leaking slick.

            Louis widened his eyes and held tight on the sink. He was butt naked and it was supposed to feel a bit cold, but he was warm. He started to pay attention to all the signals: the clinginess, the crying from happiness (which was something he didn’t do often), the need to scent Harry, the shaky limbs, the _heat_. And the last proof: he was leaking. His heat was coming. The following day, most probably. The omega didn’t know if he was ready, but that was of little consequence now: he fell deeper into his essence and let out a small whine.

            Harry frowned at the closed door immediately, even though he couldn’t hear a sound. It was like chills, a sensation – a deep awareness of his promised. “Louis? Are you ok?” He left his phone on the floor without a second look to it.

            At the sound of his alpha’s voice, Louis shivered. He was slowly getting hard as well. He whispered Harry’s name too low for him to hear, but he accidentally used his omega tone, which Harry heard loud and clear. He was up and knocking in a second.

“Lou, can you open the door? Do you need me to open it?” He said already preparing himself to kick the door open. Louis made another sound, this one a bit more reassuring, so Harry didn’t kick it down just yet. “My love, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”

            Louis didn’t answer, but built up enough courage to unlock the door. Harry opened it immediately, but softly. He saw Louis standing naked and shivering, but when he reached to touch his arm, his skin was hot. He frowned, but at his touch, Louis whined again, and only then, Harry noticed the smell. It took him a while because he had never felt that before, but after his brain processed it, he wanted to moan – it was sweet, warm and delicious: his omega’s slick.

“Lou…” Louis threw himself to his chest, and Harry held him tight the same instant. Louis felt like he needed solace, approval and validation. Even if they both knew his heat was coming, he was still doubtful over his body, over his natural reactions to Harry or Harry’s reactions to him. Harry, who was very much reacting to Louis, took a deep breath and sorted his priorities in his head – Louis’s well-being was the first one far off. “Baby boy, are you ok? Are you nauseous? You’re trembling.”

            Louis was feeling shy and embarrassed, so he just shook his head without looking up. Harry sighed, ignoring his erection and his need to _claim and mate_ , and pulling Louis with him to their bed. Harry walked backwards while laying kisses to Louis’s hair and whatever skin he could reach. Before lying down, he spoke again.

“Lou, your body is ready to mate, baby. This is all that is. It doesn’t mean _you_ are ready, so it doesn’t have to mean we’re bonding tonight. Alright, baby? I’m waiting for you, I’ll not be angry if we don’t have sex. You have to know that. You don’t owe me anything. Do you know that? Can we lie down, Louis?” He gave him a few seconds to answer, and he nodded after a few silent seconds. Harry nodded as well, lowering their bodies together on the mattress. Harry pulled a thin sheet over their waists – he was wearing only his boxers and Louis nothing. “You want your pj’s? I can get them for you.” Louis held him tighter, so he interpreted that as a no.

            Harry was very much in possession of his faculties – many alphas said that an omega in heat was an irresistible temptation and the scent was maddening enough for them to drop to their more primitive side. Harry knew now just how much bullshit that was: he was hugging not only an omega in heat, but his promised, who was his by law and he had rights over; and yet, he didn’t lose his control. The need to protect and comfort was overbearing, yes, and he knew he would probably attack anyone who came closer to them right there, but he would never attack Louis. His dick was hard, his heart beating fast and he wanted to bond Louis – Harry could feel his rut being slowly triggered 10 days earlier – but his promised’s happiness came before everything else.

            Louis whimpered lowly on his chest; Harry could see his red cheeks. “Love, don’t be shy, don’t do that. It’s me, it’s only me, don’t you trust me?” Louis whined in protest. Harry sighed. “Tomorrow you’ll wake up in heat, Louis. It’s not too late to take suppressants, tho. You want them? I’ll buy them for you right now. There’s a Tesco-”

“H-Haz…” Louis started, closing his eyes full of unshed tears forcefully. “I wanna mate you.” He whispered, feeling terribly shy. Louis was suffering waves of heat and mood swings, in which he felt embarrassed for being horny at the same time he couldn’t let Harry out of his hands. He hid his face on Harry’s chest and with his hands, and Harry sighed again.

“I wanna mate you too, Louis.” He kissed his boy’s head. “But only if you’re comfortable. You’re gonna lose your virginity, I’m gonna knot you – it’s a lot, you’re so young. Tomorrow we’d have to order some birth control. ‘Think they deliver the same day. Or you prefer condoms? It’s up to you, love. I’m clean, by the way. Have we talked about this before? ‘Don’t remember. All my ruts I used condoms-”

“Bare,” Louis whispered, breathing a bit calmer after listening to Harry’s words. His promised was making him comfortable enough to speak easier again – he could listen how truthful Harry was being and that made him feel less pressure on himself. Harry, on the other hand, tried to hide his excitement now that Louis had communicated his desire with him, and only nodded. However, he was biting his lower lip not to growl possessively; satisfied and fulfilled his omega was ready to mate with him.

“Okay, baby.” He stopped for a second. He paid attention to their breathing, and when Louis’s finally matched his, he spoke again. “Can I lick you, Lou? It’ll make you sleep better.” He whispered sensually on his boy’s ear, which made him gasp. He nodded, still not looking up, but eager all the same. Harry smiled. When he started to disentangle himself from their embrace to crawl down the bed, Louis spoke a bit louder, a little bit more confident.

“I have birth control, Haz.”

“You do!” He nodded, coyly. He took a deep breath and finally looked up, to Harry’s eyes.

“Mum gave me some. Should start today already.” Harry smiled at him and kissed his eyebrow, getting up slowly. Louis made a conscious effort not to reach out and stop him from leaving.

“Where’s it? Gonna get them.”

“Bathroom… Pink necessaire on the floor.” Harry nodded and ran there; Jay had given Louis a box the day they left to Cancun, the previous year. Since they couldn’t conceive outside of heat, he never took it (no one was aware he was still a virgin, but everyone knew he hadn’t had a heat before); the day before traveling to London, Jay gave him another box – the first one had expired. The new one he would use.

            Harry brought back the small box and a cup of tap water, smiling sweetly at his promised, who hadn’t moved from his position. Harry offered it to him and watched carefully as Louis sat down, took the box, chose the first pill marked “Saturday” and swallowed it. He drank a small sip and smiled coyly at Harry. His face was red because he could feel his butt cheeks sliding together with slick. It was a weird sensation, but not really unpleasant.

            Harry got the cup from him and placed it on the floor beside the bed, then he caressed Louis’s arm with his knuckles, just brushing the skin lightly, looking intently at his almost mate. Louis’s breath came a bit faster, so Harry went for a kiss – quietly and slowly, looking at Louis’s face for any discomfort. Instead, he found desire. He touched their lips together and just couldn’t stop the deep grumble on his chest, which made Louis whimper. They deepened the kiss and Harry kneeled on the mattress, touching his chest to Louis’s.

“Love-” He pecked his lips. “Lay on your tummy for me? Please?” Louis moaned his agreement and did just that. Harry took the sheet off and exposed Louis’s amazing ass, which he kissed. “Hmm, you’re so perfect, Louie. Look at you!” He said while he held the omega’s waist and gently pulled it up, until he folded his knees under himself, completely exposed. Harry walked on his knees until he was behind Louis, and his boy closed his eyes in expectation as well as shyness. Louis’s hands were already fisting Harry’s pillow; the breeze on his wet ass made him shiver. “Perfect.” Harry whispered, then he proceeded with licking Louis clean.

            Louis moaned and produced more slick, feeling the heat on his stomach intensify and his hands and feet tingle. His toes were coiled and his dick rock hard. Harry’s face was buried between his butt cheeks, moaning, speechless, blissed out – the taste, the scent, the feel of Louis was just too good; different, and so much better. He touched his omega’s cock and made him come, but he himself came untouched. They were left panting for a few long minutes before moving. Harry hugged Louis from behind and when he went to ask if everything was ok, Louis was already sleeping. He closed his eyes smiling.

-

            Louis was awakened by a wave of heat that left him hard and leaking and trembling. He gasped, feeling his ass empty in a way he had never felt before. The first thing he did was to reach beside him to touch his alpha, but to his despair, he found it empty.

“ _Harry!_ ” He called using his omega tone unconsciously. He didn’t scream at all, but with that voice he might as well. He heard the answer from downstairs.

“Baby, I’m here! I’m coming!” His alpha’s voice only made him more restless, his skin not warm but burning. His throat was dry, his hands were sweaty. He concentrated on his own breathing, and a second before he could whine again to Harry, he heard his footsteps on the stairs. As soon as his head came into view, hair down his shoulders, Louis cried out again.

“Harry, please?” His alpha’s eyes turned almost black when he came closer to Louis’s scent, and he got hard in a split second. But instead of jumping him or doing everything he really wanted to, he presented the tray he came with.

“Good morning, love. I made you an omelet, alright?”

“No! I don’t n-”

“Louis, we have to eat before anything happens, ok? I’m here to take care of you. Do you want me to feed you? I-”

“Har- _ry_! _No_!”

“Omega.” Harry called, purposefully using his alpha tone and calling Louis’s nature. He whimpered, and Harry continued more softly. “Eat, alright? I’m not asking, baby.” Louis pouted and his eyes filled with tears, feeling rejected and extremely sensitive, but he nodded anyway. Harry smiled at him, and that made him breathe a little easier.

            Louis sat with his back to the wall and the sheet over his legs and Harry fed him a bite at a time. He wanted to complain, but he also wanted to please his alpha, so he kept mostly quiet. After it was over, Harry made him drink a big glass of water. Then, he smiled proudly.

“There you go, my gorgeous boy. I’m very proud of you.” The assurance made Louis’s eyes fill up, needy, horny and emotional. Harry nodded at him and kissed his forehead. “I’m going to take good care of you, baby.”

“P-Please- Haz…”

“I know, love. I’m here for you.”

            Harry lowered Louis on their bed and took the sheet out from between their bodies. Louis was naked, and his hands went straight to Harry’s shorts. He took them off, so their state of undress matched. Harry lay down on top of Louis’s hot body just so their skins had maximum contact. Louis moaned when their cocks touched and he thrusted his hips unconsciously. Harry pecked his lips, supporting himself on one elbow. The other hand he slid down his tummy.

“How do you want it?” He whispered, reverent. His eyes were locked on Louis’s, mesmerized by the clear blue in them, but his hand was playing with one of his nipples. Harry’s long hair cascaded beside them, hiding them from outside. “How do you want me, baby?”

            At this point, Louis’s heat was flaring, new and intense. The first one was always more encompassing, since he didn’t have experience on how to deal with all those conflicting feelings inside him – he wanted Harry to fuck him hard and rough, but he also wanted to be taken care of; he was shy, but wanton; he was hot all over, but shivering. It was disorientating.

“I- I wan’ it slow, Ha-” Harry kissed him before he could finish. Their tongues interlacing, the heat multiplied and came in such a strong wave Louis moaned _loud_. Harry kissed him deeper, wet, lustful while his hand trailed down Louis’s tummy to stop between his legs. His soft touch made Louis arch his back and stop the kiss to gasp, fisting the sheet at either side of his body.

            Harry slid his hand a bit lower and even before touching, he could feel on his fingertips the warmth and wetness of Louis’s hole. He was leaking nonstop now, and heat radiated off his skin. Harry touched and circled Louis’s hole looking at his face to reckon his reaction – and it was of surprised pleasure, as if he didn’t know such a feeling could exist. His mouth opened and his eyes closed, breathing fast and uneven, and Harry hadn’t even breached him yet.

            The alpha kissed his chin and jaw sighing at how good he was feeling. He felt like he was so damn _lucky_ , so privileged to have Louis for himself; he thought of nothing else besides pleasuring his omega. “Can- Can I, Lou? One finger?”

“Yes! Yes, please, Harr- Pleas-”

“Shh, baby, no need to beg. I’ll do everything you want, love.” Slowly, he pushed the first finger through Louis’s tight hole, not stopping until it was all in. Louis stopped breathing for a while, too focused on the new feeling – then he opened his eyes and took a shaky breath, looking at Harry, searching for comfort. Harry got even closer to him, sharing his breath, pecking whatever skin he could reach. “Alright, baby boy?”

            It took a couple of seconds for Louis to nod, but as soon as he did, Harry started moving his finger in and out, ever so slowly. They had never done that before; Louis had never had anything on his hole, so it was completely new to him. After only a few more movements, Louis relaxed enough to look meaningful to Harry.

“More?” Harry asked anyway, and his boy nodded eagerly. He kissed him deeply again, distracting him, but the second finger was a lot easier. Louis moaned and urged Harry to continue moving without a pause. Harry spread his finger to loosen him up, and Louis let out a high pitched breath in response; Harry took a long time with only two fingers, so Louis got comfortable enough to move his hands – he found Harry’s strong arms and shoulders, and if he dug his nails on his alpha’s skin, he couldn’t be blamed.

            Harry then used his other hand to bend Louis’s knees, and his boy got the image pretty quickly – he spread his legs and put his feet flat on the bed; Harry nestled between his legs, access to every piece of Louis he wanted. And he wanted everything.

“Haz- A-another?” He sounded in doubt, but Harry complied, slowly, and the third finger made a bigger difference. Harry worried he would hurt Louis, but then he felt the slick sliding down his fingers and knew he was ready. Before he could move, he grabbed a pillow to put it under Louis’s butt – the boy helped him by lifting his hips for a second. With the angle change, when Harry started to move his fingers again, he hit Louis’s prostate dead on. Louis was completely unaware such a pleasure could exist – he moaned breathless and raspy but loudly calling Harry’s name. Soon he was squirming, his heated body asking for more. “M-Mate me, Alpha.” He whispered, and it was Harry’s turn to moan.

            The alpha buried his face on Louis’s neck and took a deep breath. He felt about to explode, his true nature too close to surface, his need to claim, mate, bond almost overbearing. The scent of his promised made it all better and so much worse at the same time – it settled him but put him on edge at the same time. After Louis whined from his lack of movement, he laid a kiss to his skin as an apology and raised his head to look at his boy’s face.

“Louis?”

“Hm?” His boy looked back at him. His eyes were a bit glazed from his heat, but he was conscious and there.

“I love you.” Louis smiled sweetly and nodded, and then Harry retracted his fingers. Louis winced a bit, feeling empty and immediately desperate – he whined, but Harry shushed him with a kiss and sweet words. “I’m here, I’m here for you, baby boy.”

            Harry pumped his own cock for a moment before lining it to Louis’s hole. When the head touched him, Louis thrusted back, moaning and mewling, terribly needy. Harry kissed his face frantically and guided his legs to curl behind his back; when the alpha finally started pushing inside, Louis wailed, throwing his head back, lost in feeling, eyes spilling water without him noticing. He felt truly full, truly complete for the first time in his life, and it was overwhelming. Harry groaned and growled, his eyes locked on the beautiful sight his writhing omega made in front of him. Heat swallowed both of them, and it was crushing in the best way, irresistible – Harry’s eyes glazed, Louis’s mouth fell open with the uninterrupted stream of sounds leaving it. They trembled together.

            A few swears left Harry’s mouth, but most of the time he bit his lip trying not to growl so animalistic. When he bottomed out, he stopped for a second, but before he could try to catch his breath, Louis whined, almost angry.

“Move!” He ordered, and Harry instinctively growled at him as a warning to be docile, and Louis let out a moan to apologize. However, when he opened his eyes and looked at Harry, his eyes were still demanding. Harry “punished” him with an all-encompassing kiss that made him lose trail of where he was, what he was lying on and everything else besides his mate. Before he parted their mouths, Harry moved. He started slow and gentle with a small back and forth movement that had Louis panting on his lips.

            Louis dug his nails on Harry’s back and then scratched it, not even realizing what he was doing, but securing Harry wouldn’t leave him; he tightened the hold of his legs against Harry’s waist. Harry buried his head on his neck again, so Louis moaned and gasped and panted right beside Harry’s ear, unknowingly letting him know of every right thing he was doing. The movements became gradually faster and stronger, and when Harry hit his prostate again, he screamed.

“There! Ah! Alpha, th-” Harry growled aggressively, dropping into his nature before Louis, and aiming his hard thrusts into the point Louis needed more. He couldn’t speak anymore, he was completely alpha, deep into his instincts of protecting and claiming.

            Harry’s knot started to swell and when Louis felt the tug he groaned wanton, locking his legs even tighter around his alpha’s waist. Louis rocked his hips along with Harry’s and the reach was just that bit deeper to make both of them fall apart. Louis came with a drawn out moan and as he clenched around Harry’s cock, his knot formed fully and locked – and in the exact second Harry felt the tug, he bit down hard on Louis’s neck, breaking the skin, digging his teeth deep on his boy’s skin.

             The bond formed the same instant – and it had both of them gasping. Louis then dropped. He went deep into his nature and floated, eyes open and staring at the ceiling, breath slowly evening out, incessant pleasure making him mollified. Harry’s knot kept spurting come inside his mate, and only after a couple of minutes Harry released Louis’s skin. He licked the bite while they were still locked and watched it close and scar as if by magic. They were bonded.

            Harry’s eyes were fully black, no hint of his forest green, and he was still feeling a bit animalistic, but even deep into his alpha nature, his first instinct was to take care of Louis. He lowered his boy’s legs from his waist and slowly raised himself to look at his face. Louis had closed his eyes and was letting out soft little whines of pleasure, and his expression was of complete bliss, and Harry recognized the drop even deep on his own. It would probably last until his knot went down. Responding to pure instinct, Harry started giving small licks to Louis’s face – his neck, ears, mouth and cheeks. He was responding to a more primitive side of his being; he was conscious of their bodies together and of their new bond, but his thoughts were jumbled together and all he could see was Louis. His kitten licks made his mate open his eyes.

            They stared at each other and then smiled.

“Are you ok?” Harry rasped. Louis sighed and nodded, closing his eyes again. Harry nodded as well, planting a kiss to his forehead. They said nothing else for the next twenty minutes that the knot took to go down. Harry cuddled Louis the entire time, and they both swam in the new sensations the bond brought – a deeper awareness of the other, a stronger connection that went further than the normal senses they already had. It felt like their very essences were intertwined.

            When the knot finally lessened, Harry’s cock slipped out of Louis and he blinked, leaving his drop. It was the first he had ever experienced, and it was not bad at all, although a bit disorienting. The first thing he did was look for signs of discomfort on his new mate, and when he found none, he was able to finally find a more comfortable position to lie down. Feeling his sweat cooling against his lower back, Harry threw himself on the bed beside Louis, groaning. It was only with that sound that Louis blinked and looked around, regaining true consciousness over his body and reality. He looked at Harry and sighed, feeling satisfied and happy, muscles like jelly on their mattress. The heat retreated to give him a break.

“Hi,” Louis said. “Bondmate.” He added, cheeky. Harry smiled and his dimples showed up.

“Bondmate.” He agreed, happy. “How are you feeling?”

“Can’t you tell?” He shot back, and then Harry stopped to look inside, look at the recent bond – and yes, he could tell. He could feel a reflex of Louis’s feelings on his own chest, and it came naturally for him to identify what belonged to him and what were his mate’s sensations. It was easy because the reflex of Louis on himself left a very warm and lovely impression on him: he could notice his bubbly joy, his fascination and something not as pleasant: thirst.

“You’re thirsty.” He said, already pushing himself out of bed; Louis pouted.

“Is that what you’ve decided to focus on? Don’t leave!” Harry stopped moving and turned to face Louis, who was beautifully thrown on the bed, limbs spread, come on his stomach and sweat glistering on his skin. Louis made big eyes to him.

“Baby, I need to take care of you. I need to. I’ll bring you water and a cloth and I promise I’ll be here in a second. Alright?” Louis frowned a bit, but before he could protest, Harry sprouted into action. He ran downstairs, his mate’s needs occupying his every thought.

            Louis pouted more and looked up, craving a cuddle much more than water; while his eyes were fixed on the ceiling, he started to tear up, a stretch to his chest that he hadn’t felt before. His breathing started to get faulty and he sat up.

“Harry?” He mewled, with a small voice. His newly mate answered from downstairs with a ‘Coming!’. He was on his knees, almost crawling down their low bed when he heard Harry’s footsteps coming back. He breathed relieved, even though it had passed less than a minute. Deeply, he knew his reaction was unreasonable, but he didn’t really care. His eyes were full with unshed tears.

“Lou? W-what-?”

“You left…” He said using his omega voice, the one who asked for help and safety, looking down but extending his arms to reach Harry. The alpha came fast to fill his place in the arms of his omega.

            Instead of saying anything, Harry kneeled before him and put the glass of water he had brought to Louis’s lips. His boy sipped at first, but then realized how thirsty he was and gulped the rest of the water. Then, Harry produced a wipe that Louis hadn’t seen and cleaned his stomach and genitals gently, his touch so soft that it had chills running through Louis’s body. He shivered, and placed both his hands to Harry’s shoulder.

            Harry finished and threw the wipe on the floor, placing his hands on Louis’s waist, delicately. His fingertips were cold because of the cup he had been holding; Louis was left with goosebumps all over.

“I could never leave you,” Harry whispered, running his fingertips up and down Louis’s body. Both kneeling on their bed in front of each other was an easy position to touch. “I need you by my side forever, Lou.”

“Mate…”

“Yes, mate. I want you well and happy. Are you?” Louis nodded, instantly. Harry smiled, small and sweet. “Then I’m happy.” Louis left a few tears run down his face, but Harry was well aware they were because he was overwhelmed with the enormous connection the bond had brought up between them. Their own love had them warm, but feeling the other’s feeling had them burning on the inside.

            Harry used his thumb to clean his mate’s tears. They stared at each other and leaned forward, touching their foreheads together. Louis closed his eyes.

“The heat is- Is it- good?” Louis whispered, suddenly insecure. For him, it had been heaven on Earth, and he dropped pretty deep not to remember the moments after the bonding bite. But he wanted to be sure Harry had felt the same. His alpha blew his face gently, so he opened his eyes.

“It was perfect.” Harry said, looking deep into his eyes to convey his honesty. “Every second of it.” He pecked his lips. “Are you hurting?” Louis shook his head no. He wasn’t feeling any pain, although he knew he would be sore after 4 days of heat, but that didn’t matter much.

“Can we cuddle?” He asked, feeling submissive and needy. Harry basked on it.

“Please and thank you!” He replied, silly, making Louis giggle. They cuddled close together, their scents changing and intertwining.

-

            After their nap, Harry startled awake by the scent of Louis’s slick. It was just so delicious it made his mouth water and his skin tingle. They were spooning; Louis was still napping, but his body was getting gradually hotter. Harry knew he would wake up wanton very soon. Slowly, he massaged Louis’s naked flank and kissed the bonding mark on his exposed neck, feeling his cock fattening up where it was nested between Louis’s cheeks.

            His omega woke up with a moan.

“H-Harry, _ah_!” He sighed, pressing behind against his alpha. “Alpha, knot- Want your knot…” Harry didn’t wait for any more commands, lowering his hand to Louis’s hole to feel how loose it was. Louis moaned louder when he breached him. “Ahh, _Haz_! F-fuck, fuck me, Al-” At that, Harry growled deeply against Louis’s ear. He made sure he was still stretched loose and took his fingers out, lining his cock instead.

            Without a word, Harry grabbed Louis’s hip with a steeled grip and fucked into him in one thrust. Louis dropped immediately, moaning loudly and raspy. He was not conscious of anything else besides his mate’s cock inside him, his mate’s hands squeezing him, his mate’s burning chest against his back, his mate’s desire burning inside his own chest. He wasn’t paying attention to what was coming out of his mouth, but it was a loud stream of “Harry! Uhh uhh uhh, Haz, mate, fuck, fuck me, love, alpha, alpha, ahh” which was driving Harry crazy.

            Harry pounded into Louis fiercely, knowing exactly how his omega could take it due to their new bond. He held him in place, used his knee to open Louis’s legs and bit and licked and kissed all over Louis’s back, while driving his cock in and out of Louis’s leaking hole fast and deep. When he hit his prostate, Louis screamed and came, untouched, hitting his own chin with come. Harry kept drilling on him for a few more seconds, panting and groaning, until his knot locked him spurting the first load of hot and thick come. The momentum made him tug at the knot with more force than he was intending, but that only made Louis moan again, deep on his drop, sated, exhausted, breathing hard.

            Harry sighed, hiding his face on his mate’s neck, for a moment questioning himself, afraid to have hurt Louis, to have been too rough – but a look inside to the bond told him just how pleased his omega was. Even though he’d be sore sooner rather than later.  Louis let out mewls and small whimpers, eyes moving behind his closed lids, mouth open and consciousness in a faraway place – wherever omegas went when they dropped, when they felt safe and pleased enough to just let go of control and leave themselves to be taken care of. Harry was a proud and fulfilled alpha, even more when he recognized how deeply his mate had dropped under his care. It made him exultant.

            When Louis came back to himself, Harry’s cock was slipping out of his hole, along with slick, come and sweat. He scrunched his nose to the strong scent of sex in their room, but at the same time, basked on the knowledge that they were able to produce so much filth together. Harry smiled against his shoulder before kissing the salty skin softly.

“Shower?” He whispered, voice destroyed by too many growls. It made chills run down Louis’s body. Harry smirked. “I’ll eat you out under the hot water.”

            Louis gasped, his cock giving a courageous twitch. “Harry!” His mate laughed softly behind him, but then assumed an even lower tone of voice than his natural one.

“I want you bent down, holding the edge of the sink, legs spread out, body shivering, legs almost giving while my tongue breaches you and I taste your sweet, sweet slick, moaning against your delicious little hole, kissing and sucking any-”

“H- _Haz. Stop._ ” Louis begged, voice cracking. He let out a hard breath through his nose. “I mean- Stop _talking_.” Harry laughed louder, kissing his shoulder again, happy with his mate’s sassy attitude. He got on his knees, and before Louis could try to impulse himself up, Harry grabbed him under the legs and shoulders and lifted him, bridal style, as if he weighted nothing. Louis was about to complain when he noticed his mate was taking him to the bathroom, then, he just kept pliantly quiet, holding Harry’s neck and hiding his face on his chest. He smiled, feeling warm, protected and loved.

            Harry kissed his sweaty hair, inhaling his scent deeply. Louis thought he heard an “I love you” being whispered against his head, but wasn’t too sure. He responded anyway.

-

          Louis’s heat triggered Harry’s rut, and they spent five whole days together, intercalating sweet lovemaking with rough fucks, and lazy cuddles with moments of active work.

            In between the waves of heat, Harry and Louis were able to warn their mothers about what was going on and let it be clear that no help was necessary; Harry said that if anyone came close to them he would attack, no matter who and no matter what. Besides that, they finished unpacking and tried to decorate their small loft the best way they could without stepping a foot outside. They made do with what they had, and if not, they ordered whatever was an emergency (pizza on the fourth day and Chinese on the fifth). By the end of the first week, their flat was looking much more organized and pretty, Louis was off his heat, Harry was off his rut and they were bonded for life.

            However, it was only after another week that Harry felt less possessive, enough to let their families visit. Everyone came to look at their home and to have a look at them – the newly bonded pair. It was fun, but a bit awkward. Jay cried, Robin gave Harry some advice, Anne didn’t stop hugging Louis and the twins broke a plant pot. When they left, Harry and Louis were feeling loved, but quite relieved to be by themselves again. It was easy to get used to their own lovely bubble.

            Little by little, everything was sorted. They were happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last one! Who's excited for the epilogue? \o/


	16. Epilogue: Many birthdays more

**#1 Olivia Jane Styles**

            When Olivia was born, Harry had just graduated from his Photography course, although he had already been working on the studio for a year. He was a family photographer with a wicked ability to make small children smile for his pictures and big plans to open his own studio someday. He also wanted to move from their small loft now that he and Louis had had their first daughter, but Louis argued they could save more money before moving to a bigger place. Harry had agreed for now, but as soon as the toys began to litter the floor, he’d go house-hunting.

            Louis, who was the fittest omega on the planet, had the easiest and most relaxed pregnancy he could ever dream of. He didn’t get too big, although his hips and butt wiggled more than he’d wanted them to, and he didn’t suffer too much. Actually, he kept working on the library until the dust gave him allergies and he went to uni up until Harry used his alpha voice to forbid him (at 37 weeks of his pregnancy). He did his coursework from home without a hitch, finishing his first year at uni studying Omega Rights before his regular classmates, just a week before Olivia came to the world.

            Olivia Jane Styles was born in June, a summer baby, strong, perfect and healthy, but tiny enough they could guess she would present as an omega. Harry cried.

            Their mothers came to London to help them, and when Harry explained that Olivia’s middle name, Jane, came from a joining of “Jay” and “Anne”, both women cried as well. Harry kept on working on the first two months because either Jay or Anne were with Louis all the time – and the omega’s body recovered fast and beautifully, just getting more pronounced curves, which only pleased Harry to no end. By the end of August, Harry took his Alpha leave from work to stay closer to Olivia while Louis went back to his second year of uni. Louis made so that all his classes were in the morning, so most of the day, he spent with Harry and their baby. Soon, they had a nice routine going on and their mothers could go back to their hometown without worry.

            Even after Harry went back to work, they managed. Harry would stay home in the mornings, and work the other shifts. Louis studied, took care of Olivia and, once a week, played footie with a few colleagues. Harry admired him enormously. Louis was only 18 while Harry was 22 when they consciously decided to try for a baby. They were not married, but had been bonded for 3 years and together their entire life, so it didn’t feel rushed at all.

            One Friday night, when Olivia was 8 months old, Louis prepared a get-together to Harry’s old friends from uni and a few of his co-workers to come to their small home, to drink some wine and eat sushi to celebrate his 23rd birthday. It was a lovely affair that had Harry squeezing and smooching Louis in thanks the entire time. Everyone gushed over their daughter, who refused to leave her fathers’ laps and expelled everyone by 11 p.m. because she was sleepy and wouldn’t stop crying. However, Harry absolutely loved everything and sighed over how perfect his omega was for him.

            When the last guest left, Harry sat on their loveseat with Olivia sitting against his chest to calm her down. After a few pats to her tummy and five minutes of silence, Olivia settled and laid her small head to Harry’s neck. Both Harry and her kept staring at Louis, who was walking the entire loft, organizing everything, collecting the garbage, storing leftovers, cleaning the countertop, without standing still for even a second.

“You’re fantastic,” Harry whispered to him. Louis heard and smiled, but didn’t stop. He finished wiping the chairs and went to load the dishwasher. “Lou…”

“Yes, darling?” Louis answered complacent, aware Harry was in awe of him and basking on the feeling. He smiled with his back turned to him.

“My beautiful omega, c’mere. Please?”

“Uhum love, just a sec.” He finished his chores and only when the kitchen was spotless he turned to Harry. Olivia was sleeping on his lap.

“Baby boy,” Harry whispered and reached out. Louis sighed, holding his hand. Harry pulled him close and Louis sat beside him, cuddling to his side. Harry kissed his forehead. “Thank you, Louis.” He said, softly.

“You’re welcome.” Louis answered back, grounded by and grateful for his alpha and his daughter’s scents next to him. “I love you both.”

“We love you too,” Harry reached for his face, to tilt his chin up and closer. “I love you so fuckin’ much, Lou.” He kissed him.

-

**#2 Diana Darcy Styles and Georgia Rose Styles**

            They moved to a bigger flat when Harry got offered a partnership from another, more famous, photographer, who had liked his work. Olivia was 2 at the time, and toys were indeed littering the floor. Louis was quickly becoming an advocate for Omegas Rights in and out of uni, and he was thinking of investing into being a lecturer. The job appeased him, and he was extremely good with people, be it one-on-one or with a public. He could make himself be heard, for which he had Harry beyond proud.

            Once Louis graduated (a bit later than usual, because he kept busy with a small baby at home), his plans were to immediately start a Master’s degree, however, life interfered. His second pregnancy was not planned at all, but was a source of joy anyways. Olivia was 4 years old and asking “please, please, pretty _please_ ” for a sibling to play with. It didn’t help that Johannah had remarried after a few years of her divorce with Mark and had twins, Ernie and Doris, with a lovely beta called Dan. Olivia was older than her uncle and aunt, which was amusing, but it made her realize just how many siblings Louis had and it made her want siblings of her own.

            When Louis and Harry found out they’d also be having twins, the entire family celebrated together. It was fantastic just how much love they all could feel for two small humans who were not even born yet. When they discovered they were both girls, there were tears and laughter involved. Olivia was ecstatic.

            The pregnancy of the twins wasn’t as easy as the first one had been – Louis got bigger, heavier and clumsier, which scared him, so he became sensitive and emotional over anything. He would cry if he accidentally broke a cup, when he couldn’t bend over himself to lift Olivia or just looking at his love handles on the mirror. His self-consciousness and insecurity came back with a vengeance, and Harry made an effort to take good care of his omega by spreading massage oil over his skin every night, kissing his new stretch marks, complimenting his body the whole time and showing his sincere appreciation of it with entire nights of sex. He wanted to show Louis just how turned on by him he was, and how his desire only intensified with the changes on his body. He mostly succeeded.

            The twins were born at the end of November, just shy of Louis’s 23rd birthday. After a long and exhausting labor, Harry and Louis got to name the oldest girl Diana Darcy Styles and the youngest (by 14 minutes) Georgia Rose Styles. Olivia pampered her sisters and cared for them, only occasionally throwing jealousy induced tantrums. But those were few and sparse enough for them not to worry.

            Harry took many, many pictures of his family. He had albums dedicated to each daughter and albums of them together throughout the years. He created a fantastic exposition of their daughters, exalting their similarities and differences. Olivia, the oldest, was a beautiful omega with caramel hair, blue eyes and poignant features. She was just like Louis, soft but sharp, and didn’t let anyone patronize her because of her gender. She took a liking to skateboarding, which Louis was just too willing to teach, much to Harry’s dismay. She preferred to dress herself with jeans and hoodies instead of dresses, which was just fine for everyone. Her beautiful hair was almost always on a ponytail or braided.

            Both Diana and Georgia had wavy dark blonde hair and green eyes, but Diana, who was an alpha, had a thinner face with thicker brows, besides a stronger temper – she was the most likely one to demand absurd things and expect to be obeyed. Harry would often go out with only Diana, because he wanted to teach her how to behave as an alpha in a house full of omegas. She was learning fast to be more affectionate and careful. Although she wanted to appear tough, she was the only one who liked to wear pleated skirts with mid-calf socks.

            Georgia, the youngest, was also an omega, but she was the sweetest little thing, with fuller lips and rounder cheeks. Georgia was quieter and more helpful, but she was a cheeky little bugger who had Harry on the palm of her tiny hand. She was the shiest of the three and would never talk to strangers unless she had to; she walked after Louis the entire day, but Harry was her absolute hero. She hated being told to kiss or hug relatives or friends.

            On December 24th, Louis’s 30th birthday, their families were together at Jay’s house, back to Doncaster for the holidays. Olivia was 12, Diana and Georgia were 8 and Harry was 33. The girls found out, through Jay and Anne, that Harry and Louis weren’t married, which they thought was absurd.

“ **Dads!** ” Olivia screamed, running from the kitchen to the living room, where Louis and Harry were cuddling next to the tree and the fireplace. Louis startled and started to get up, but Harry held him in place.

“Wait…” He whispered on his ear, nipping the flesh a bit. Louis sighed against his chest.

“Dads, how dare you!” Diana came running right after her big sister, always one for some drama. Georgia came jogging behind the other two, silent but with a hard expression. Louis, as soon as he looked at his daughters, relaxed back on Harry’s chest. It was nothing serious.

“Papa,” Georgia said, looking at Harry. “How could you?”

“Oh my! Girls. Lovelies. What did we do?” Harry asked, amused but trying to hide his smile on Louis’s hair. He kissed his omega’s head, since he was there. Louis snuggled closer.

“You girls remember it’s me birthday, right? No sassing on me birthday, you promised.” Louis pointed out, which had Olivia sniggering, but the twins protested.

“We’re _not_ sassing!” Georgia said.

“Yea, excuse you!” Diana completed, in a complete sassy manner.

“Da, Pa, you’re nut bloody married.” Olivia finally revealed the reason for their stressing. She had a thick Londoner accent. “Wut the he-”

“Language, young lady,” Louis admonished, which he knew was useless, because she thought it made her look more mature. But he had a role to fulfill.

“And what do you care if we’re married or not? We-” Harry asked.

“But we’re you daughters!” Georgia argued.

“And?” Louis rolled his eyes.

“You ‘ave kids!” Diana seemed to think that was absurd.

“We’re bonded, babies-” Harry tried to calm them.

“Bonded is nut married, tho.” Olivia had perfected the raised eyebrow look.

“Bonded is better!” Louis argued back.

“Bonded is lateh! Marriage is first!” Diana was still bewildered.

“Says who?” Harry inquired.

“ **Everyone** , pa!” Georgia shrieked.

“Well, that’s a bloody lie, innit?” Louis shrieked right back.

“Language, da.” Olivia sassed.

“Shut it, Ollie. It’s me birthday,” Louis said, but he sniggered.

“Wut’s that ‘ave to do with anythin’?” Olivia questioned.

“It means I’m right the entire day-” Louis answered quickly.

“Don’t push it, da.” Georgia, sweet Georgia, sassed him.

“Georgia!” Louis screamed, and Harry laughed.

“You’re not married! How could you?!” Georgia brought attention to the matter at hand to avoid being chastised.

“Oh my God, why is it so important to you?” Harry finally asked, amused.

“Because!” The three of them screamed together, their voices high. They looked at each other, and they seemed to come to the silent decision of letting Olivia speak. They came to silent decisions all the time, and it freaked everyone around them. It looked like telepathy.

“ _Because_ , dads, we thought you _were_. Like, a billion years ago.”

“Hey!”

“ _And_ you’re not! How come?!” Olivia put their frustration into words, but eloquence was not her forte.

“Dads.” Diana called. “Can we be flower girls?”

“I wanna be ring bearer! Can I? Di, can I?” Georgia squealed suddenly, turning to her twin, as if Diana decided everything. Diana nodded at her sagely.

“If Gio’s ring bearer, then I’m walking with pa. No take backs!” Olivia said, because she wanted to be ring bearer and she knew Georgia would prefer to walk with Harry.

“Oh!” Georgia exclaimed, looking at her with big green eyes. “You can do that? Walk with the alpha?”

“You can do whatever you want.” Olivia answered, and smirked when Georgia pouted. Her younger sister looked down, then at her, using her most manipulative look.

“Can we trade, Ollie?” The oldest girl pretended to think, but soon agreed, pleased with herself. While they talked, Harry and Louis paid attention to their interaction; but they were the ones who invented silent communication, so their girls only inherited that skill.

            They looked at each other, Louis with a raised eyebrow, Harry smiling softly. The alpha blinked slowly and Louis bit his lower lip; Harry’s smile got larger and Louis sighed, convinced. Harry kissed his cheek and disentangled himself from their hug. Louis was left sitting on the loveseat alone.

            When Harry moved, the girls stopped their serious discussion to see what their pa was going to do. Neither of them expected it when Harry kneeled in front of Louis and held his hand. All three screamed loud and high.

“Louis,” Harry started, smirking at their daughters’ reaction. Louis smiled big and beautiful at him, completely relaxed. Everything about their relationship was natural and easy, so this next step felt just like that as well. “My love and mate,” Harry continued. “You’ve shared your entire life with me already, and I’ve loved every second of it. Will you spend the rest of it with me as well?” Louis was already nodding softly, eyes gleaming in an unexpected wave of emotion. “Will you marry me, baby boy?”

“Yes, Harry. Yes, I will!” Louis exclaimed, more excited than he thought he would get. He opened his arms and his alpha, instead of hugging him, held him close and lifted him from the couch. Louis held tight on his neck and laughed out loud as Harry spinned him around the room, holding his back and under his legs. The girls clapped and squealed, excited, and Louis interrupted Harry’s laughter with a kiss. They shared a sweet, but not too deep of a kiss; that was for later.

            When they separated, Harry left a peck on Louis’s lips, quick but loving. “I love you, my gorgeous boy.”

“I love you, alpha.” Louis whispered his answer, tightening his hold around Harry’s neck and looking at him with hooded eyes. Harry smirked, but they were interrupted by small arms that came to hug them.

            They celebrated many things that Christmas Eve – and joy was all around, on everyone’s faces and hearts.

-

**#3 William Conrad Styles**

            The last Styles kid came when they were pretty settled and weren’t thinking about making the family bigger. At 39, Harry had his own photography studio and crew, and besides photographing weddings and families, he also exposed some of his artistic work in a gallery a friend owned. Harry had also found out a talent for songwriting, and had been able to sell a few songs to a couple of kind-of-big record labels. He was slowly making a name for himself.

            Louis had a PhD on Omegas Rights and was an activist, and his lectures and articles were famous on the field throughout England. He signed his academic essays with Tomlinson instead of Styles, and Harry was just majorly proud of him. He tried to always be supportive, even when his omega had to travel to different universities to talk or to participate on debates sometimes. Their daughters were now teenagers, but instead of rebellious, they were learning how their parents were quite liberal with them and just how much love their household was filled with. Olivia, Diana and Georgia tried to show gratitude for everything they had, even though it was hard sometimes.

            When Louis vomited for the third consecutive morning, Harry frowned and left to buy a pregnancy test for his husband. When he handed it to him, Louis looked at Harry with wide eyes and bit his lip. He grabbed the box with shaky fingers, but Harry kissed his cheek before he went to the bathroom, which calmed him a bit. The result made him all shaky again. He took a deep breath, but he already had unshed tears on his eyes.

“Harry!” Louis called and Harry opened the door softly. He had been waiting, leaned on the door, thinking of all the possibilities. When Louis looked at him, he knew. He smiled, big and dimply.

“We’re having another baby,” Harry whispered, and Louis smiled as well, nodding strong and letting his tears fall down his face. Harry opened his arms for his mate, who threw himself on the coziness of his alpha’s chest. Harry held him tight. “Thank you, my love.” Harry said, softly. “Thank you for the wonderful family you’ve given me.”

            Louis cried harder. “I love you, Haz.”

            Louis fared his third pregnancy a lot better than the second one, because he was 35, confident on his body and abilities, and he wanted to make sure everything worked as smoothly as possible. He behaved more carefully, exercised and ate a lot healthier than before, because he knew that losing the extra weight would be harder later. He played footie at the beginning and did Pilates after the sixth-month mark, so he wasn’t feeling too bad; the only annoying thing he experienced were the weird cravings, which he thought were a myth, since he hadn’t had any. However, his third time was the charm: he made Harry wake up at 4 a.m. more times than he’d admit just to feed him some peanut butter on celery. But Harry was very nice about the whole affair.

            When they discovered the baby was a boy, they talked quietly on bed a lot, whispering with lips so close together they were almost kissing, about how it was going to be different to raise a boy and how neither had experience but they were willing to try and do their best. In between kisses they decided on the name William Conrad Styles. Harry suggested letting the girls decide, but Louis was very particular about names, so they discarded that idea pretty quickly.

            Will was born in the beginning of October, and was received with party from everyone else in the family. He was a big alpha boy, with wild auburn curls and dark blue eyes. However, even if he tried to copy Harry’s every movement, he grew into a dada’s boy through and through. Will did everything for Louis, would do anything for him, showered him with kisses and hugs and presents. He paired up with Diana (even when the teen didn’t want him to) and pestered her to teach him how to defend and protect his omega sisters and father. It was rather cute, really.

            For Will’s 5th birthday, the boy asked his parents for two parties – one for his friends and another one for his closer family. When Louis heard his ideas, he agreed immediately and with unshed tears on his eyes. He and Harry made a picnic at the park for all of Will’s school friends, which wasn’t fancy in the slightest, but the kids had fun and the food was devoured appreciatively. It was over before 6 p.m., and Will returned home with many presents and an enormous dimply smile that was just like Harry’s. Then, his boy proceeded with helping prepare his second party.

            Harry, Louis and Will packed the car and drove to the outskirts of the city so they’d be able to camp on the field to see the stars. When they were almost done setting up a big tent (Will helping coordinating the operation), Olivia arrived driving herself and the twins after their classes of the day. Will screamed and hugged his sisters, terribly excited to see them, since they had left for school before he woke up and hadn’t had the chance to wish him a happy birthday. Louis teared up quietly, emotive all his children were together and well and happy. Olivia, at 22, was almost finished with uni, and in September, his twins had just started their academic life, being 17. Fortunately for him, they still lived in London and the girls decided to go to uni there, so he didn’t have to deal with hurtful separations just yet. They spent the entire day out, but they still came back home every night. And for that, Louis was grateful.

            Will’s presence on Louis and Harry’s lives was truly a blessing, since their girls were so grown up already. It was refreshing; it kept them on their toes, grounded and pleased them to no end. But as fulfilling as it was to have his little boy with him most of the day, Louis was always the happiest when all his children were together.

            Harry kissed his mouth tightly and silently, using his thumbs to dry Louis’s eyes from where he had been stood watching their children interact. Then, his mate kissed his forehead and his ear, just because. With a sigh, Louis pecked Harry’s collarbone quietly and moved away to put the blankets on the floor, and they spent hours trying to make a decent fire, eating, playing games and catching up, in which even the twins participated, feeling the freedom they were given within their family to talk and be honest.

            By 10 o’clock, they were all lying down, quietly looking up, side by side. Louis was cuddling Olivia, his oldest who was a lot taller than him, but still snugged on his chest, Harry had Will sprawled on his chest while he held his boy by the hips, and Diana and Georgia were hugging each other in the middle, because since they had chosen different courses at uni, they spent a lot less time together, which put a strain on both of them. Everything was quiet but for the crack of the fire and some cicadas somewhere on the grass. Will sighed.

“Thanks pa, da, Gio, Ollie and Di.” Everyone seemed to be surprised at that, looking at the small boy, who hadn’t moved from his papa’s chest.

            Olivia was the first to answer.

“For what, peanut?” She had a soothing omega voice, which mesmerized her alpha brother. He loved the omegas’ voices.

“Best birthday,” William answered simply, and snuggled better on Harry’s chest when the alpha started combing his wild curls with his fingers. Diana sighed and buried her face on her sister’s neck. She was feeling weirdly emotional and didn’t want to show anybody.

“You’re very welcome, Will.” Georgia whispered to him, while hugging Diana closer. “I love you a lot.” She added, a bit louder to everyone, as if it had just occurred to her. “I think it’s been a while since I said it.”

“We know, Gio. Don’t worry.” Harry rasped, his voice deeper than usual. It made Louis close his eyes, letting the deep love and happiness thrum on his veins.

“I had missed this. You.” Diana whispered, hating to show her vulnerability, but wanting to express herself anyway. Olivia nodded her head, which was resting against Louis’s shoulder, agreeing silently.

“Missed you too,” Will tried to exclaim, but it was clear he was sleepy. He yawned by the end of his sentence. “Love you,” He added, voice low and fuzzy. Harry kissed his temple with a smack, which made him giggle tiredly.

            Louis didn’t say anything, humbled, grateful. He looked up at the sky and couldn’t help thinking the sky had nothing on his family. He had the brightest stars right there with him.

 

_Fim._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for the pics:  
> Olivia and Will  
> http://www.kidswear-magazine.com/brand/msgm-kids/season-aw-201617/  
> Diana and Georgia  
> http://kirby-ann.tumblr.com/post/60020431408/twins
> 
>  
> 
> .  
> That's it! Hope you've enjoyed it :) Thank you for all your comments and kindness xx


End file.
